Golden Wolf Warrior
by Agent-Ayu
Summary: What if The Fire Nation royal family was over thrown while Zuko and Azula were children? Ursa, Iroh, and Zuko managed to escape to Ba Sing Se, but Azula wound up at the Southern Water Tribe. This is mostly Azula-centric. Eventually there will be Azutara.
1. Prologue

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Prologue**

**Summary: **What if The Fire Nation royal family was over thrown while Zuko and Azula were children? Ursa, Iroh, and Zuko manage to escape to Ba Sing Se, but Azula wound up at the Southern Water Tribe. This is mostly Azula-centric. Eventually there will be Azutara.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters, except all the characters that were not in the series and this story.

* * *

It all happened so fast. Their beloved country had been betrayed, the royal family had fallen. What scared the Imperial Firebenders the most was that the coup was led by a general of the Fire Nation army. Why would the general betray his country and Fire Lord?

Many questions passed through all the crewmen's minds. But the biggest question was how their youngest passenger was coping with the tragic events. Everyone was concerned for the child because she was their princess.

The Fire Nation princess hadn't said a word since they'd left the Fire Nation heading southbound. If it weren't for the ship's captain, the princess would probably still be in her designated cabin.

A week had passed since the coup and they were starting to get low on supplies. The ship's captain currently had herself and the princess in the kitchen to keep warm and to hopefully get the princess to eat something.

"Please princess, eat something." The captain practically begged. "Lu Ten wouldn't want you to starve."

All the princess did was slowly shake her head. She wasn't being bratty, she simply wasn't hungry.

"Captain Mizuki."

Captain Mizuki removed her attention from the princess and turned to the soldier who had spoken. "Yes?"

"If I may suggest, I think it is wise if we stop addressing her as 'princess'. I mean no disrespect, but it is a matter of her safety."

"Yes, I agree. Please go round up everyone; they all need to hear this." Captain Mizuki ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am!" The soldier bowed before running out of the kitchen.

"Princess, please understand, from this point on no one will address you by your title for your safety. We promised Prince Lu Ten that we would keep you safe."

All Azula could do was nod. The mention of her cousin's name had triggered the memory of the prince's death.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula had somehow gotten separated from her mother and brother. There was chaos throughout the palace. She didn't know what was happening. Parts of her home were in flames and there was smoke everywhere. She could barely keep her eyes open.

"Azula get down!" Lu Ten shouted as he pushed Azula and himself to the ground, barely avoiding a fireball that flew over them.

"Lu?" Azula questioned weakly.

"Don't worry Azula, I'll protect you. We need to get out of here!"

Carefully, but as quickly as possible, Lu Ten kept Azula close to the ground, away from fire and smoke. They were close to the palace entrance when Lu Ten heard something behind them.

"Quick, hide behind the pillar." Lu Ten gently guided his cousin behind one of the many entrance pillars. "Stay quiet and don't move."

Lu Ten quietly stood up to look around the pillar to see who was following them. Once the follower was close enough, he jumped out from behind the pillar and let loose a fireball.

"Prince Lu Ten, wait!" a female pleaded as she deflected the fireball.

"Captain Mizuki?" Lu Ten questioned.

Mizuki got closer to Lu Ten. "Prince Lu Ten, General Iroh sent me to find you and Princess Azula when you two were separated from them."

"Oh, that's great! Now I need your help to get to the harbor." Lu Ten started to explain.

"But, Prince Lu Ten, that's at the bottom of the volcano!"

"I know, but the closer we are to the harbor, the closer we'll get to safety. Azula, grab my hand."

Azula did what Lu Ten had told her to and was suddenly pulled to her feet. Mizuki struggled to open the palace front doors, but it was proving too large for her alone. Lu Ten let go of Azula's hand and helped the captain.

Just as the door began to pry open, fireballs began blasting through the opening they had created.

"Damn it! How could I forget they'd started attacking from the front?" Lu Ten cursed as he and Mizuki pushed the doors shut.

Once the door was completely shut, all three of them began running away from the entrance. As they ran past the throne room, Azula grabbed hold of Lu Ten's hand, causing him to stop running.

"What is it Azula?"

"Lu, there's a secret door in Grandpa's throne room!" Azula exclaimed.

"What? Are you sure?" Lu Ten said as he knelt down to his cousin's height.

"Yes, Zuzu and I accidentally found it when we were hiding from Grandpa. We were playing there and didn't want to get in trouble. It leads just outside the palace gates!"

Still holding Lu Ten's hand, all three of them ran into the Fire Lord's throne room. Once they entered Azula let go of her cousin's hand and ran to the wall below the throne.

"See the fire symbol Lu? All you have to do is firebend and the secret door opens." Azula said proudly.

"Oh really? That's great!" Lu Ten said happily.

Azula quickly took a firebending stance and launched a fireball at the Fire Nation insignia. After a few seconds there was a shift and the secret door exposed itself.

Suddenly Lu Ten, Azula, and Miyuki heard clapping behind them. They turned around and saw the general who was leading the coup.

"General Akuzo! How dare you betray your Fire Lord, your country?" Lu Ten exclaimed.

"Your family has been at this war for nearly a hundred years. We are nowhere close to conquering the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes. I think it's time for a new Fire Lord. I will finish this war much faster than Fire Lord Azulon ever could." General Akuzo explained. "Soldiers. Get the Prince and Princess and kill them."

Soldiers came out from behind the pillars of the throne room. Mizuki and Lu Ten quickly dispatched the soldiers nearest them while more were approaching fast. Lu Ten knew there was no way they could fight all of them and get away safely.

"Mizuki, help me make a firewall!"

Both Lu Ten and Mizuki dropped into a horse stance and raised their arms creating, a huge wall of flame across the throne room, separating themselves and the secret passage from the general and his soldiers.

"Mizuki." Lu Ten said quietly so Azula wouldn't hear him.

"Yes, Prince Lu Ten?"

"Take Azula and get as far away from the Fire Nation as possible."

"Prince Lu Ten, I must object. You and the princess must be saved. I took an oath as an Imperial Firebender to protect the royal family." Mizuki argued.

"You also took an oath to obey us. This is an order! I'm going to try and stall them. Take her to a safe place where she won't be found. Now go!" Lu Ten shouted as he pushed the firewall towards the soldiers and their general.

Mizuki broke from her stance and grabbed Azula. "Come with me princess."

"No, what about Lu Ten? We can't leave him." Azula screamed while trying to get out of Mizuki's grasp.

The last thing Azula saw were soldiers breaking through the firewall and beginning their assault on Prince Lu Ten.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

There were many Fire Nation soldiers guarding ships from leaving the ports. Mizuki was hiding in an abandoned house near the harbor. From where she and Azula were, they could still see smoke coming from Caldera City. While in the abandoned house, Mizuki had grabbed an old ragged curtain and made it into a poncho to drape over Azula's royal clothes so they wouldn't be spotted as easily.

"Captain Mizuki." Azula said quietly.

"Yes, princess?"

"What's going to happen now?" Azula grabbed the captain's hand.

"I'm not sure princess. I need to find a crew so we can run a ship to get you out of here. But, I don't know who we can trust." Mizuki explained.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Mizuki quickly grabbed Azula and hid her behind a big plant pot. There was another knock, and Mizuki stayed alert as the intruder entered the abandoned house.

"Mizuki." The intruder whispered.

"Prince Lu Ten!"

True enough it was Prince Lu Ten. "Mizuki, where's Azula?"

"Lu?" Azula said as she came out of her hiding spot.

"Good, you're both safe. C'mon, quickly, I need to get you to the safe house. Azula, get on my back." Lu Ten said as he knelt down in front of his cousin.

Azula climbed onto Lu Ten's back and the three of them quietly left the abandoned house, sneaking their way closer and closer to the ports where the Fire Nation ships were ported. Just as they were about to enter the first point before they reached the safe house, a soldier stopped them.

"Excuse me; the town is under lockdown, by order of General Akuzo."

"We're sorry sir, we didn't know. My sisters and I just came back from camping." Lu Ten said quickly. "We saw the smoke at Caldera City and thought it'd be best if we returned home."

"Very well, hurry on home before I have to arrest you."

With that, Lu Ten and Mizuki quickly walked away from the soldier until they were out of his sight. Once they couldn't see him, Lu Ten sprinted as fast as he could, Mizuki running closely behind him.

Lu Ten did an unusual knocking pattern on one of the doors and someone opened the door slightly. "Who knocks at the guarded gate?"

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries." Lu Ten replied.

The door opened wide enough to allow all three of them in. "It's an honor to meet you Prince Lu Ten. We're sorry to hear what has happened." The man said.

"Thank you. Is there any word on what happened to my aunt, cousin, and father?"

"We're sorry your highness, but we haven't heard anything. But we are loyal to Prince Iroh and will protect you and Princess Azula. Please, have some tea while I get my wife."

Azula got off of Lu Ten's back and took a seat next to him on the ground where the low rised table was. Mizuki poured the hot tea for all three of them and took in the warmth of the calming drink. Azula and Lu Ten did the same. Even though all three of them were firebenders, they couldn't feel any warmth in their hands as the horror of what was happening to them clouded their minds.

"Hello, my name is Ming. Zen tells me you're Prince Iroh's son and niece. It is an honor to meet you."

"Thank you. It's an honor to meet those who are loyal to my father, especially with what has happened tonight." Lu Ten said before taking a sip of his tea. "Hmm, white jade tea!"

Ming laughed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you know your teas, being Prince Iroh's son. Zen and I need you three to lay low until we know we're cleared to take you to the next safe point before we can get you and Princess Azula out of the Fire Nation."

"How long do you think that will be? I would really appreciate getting my cousin out of the Fire Nation as quickly as possible. I can wait longer if needed. Azula is top priority." Lu Ten replied.

"We understand, Prince Lu Ten. But we are going to try and get the two of you out at the same time." Zen replied as he took a seat at the table.

"Whom are we waiting on?" Mizuki asked.

"Admiral Jeong Jeong."

"Jeong Jeong is helping us! That's great; he and dad are good friends." Lu Ten said happily.

Azula looked back and forth between Zen and Ming, and Lu Ten and Mizuki. She kind of understood what was happening, but not sure who the people were that her cousin was talking about except for her uncle. She took a sip of her tea, not knowing what else to do, save staying quiet.

"Here, let me get some more tea and something for us to eat. Would you mind Oolong?" Ming asked.

"Oolong will be fine." Lu Ten said.

"I'll help you dear." Zen stood up to go help his wife.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The next thing Azula knew, Lu Ten was waking her up. She hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep after eating. "Lu?"

"We have to go, Azula. Everything is in order for us to escape." Lu Ten got down in front of Azula for her to get onto his back again.

Azula climbed on quickly. "Zen will guide you to the next safe point. From there, Admiral Jeong Jeong will help you guys escape out of the Fire Nation." Ming explained as she carefully looked outside to check if it was clear.

"Thank you so much. Your courage and help will be repaid." Lu Ten said as he followed Zen out of the house.

"We're going to have to move quickly and quietly. The town is still under lockdown." Zen explained after Ming closed the door. "This way."

Zen quickly guided the three fugitives through the shadowy parts of the town where guards were not patrolling, bringing them closer to the ports.

Finally, they neared a house, and Zen firebended the flame of a nearby lantern, dousing its light. When he made sure the coast was clear he walked up to the house's door and knocked on it in a specific pattern.

There was a pause before the door opened and the four of them were rushed in. Before the door closed, Azula saw the man shoot a small flame towards the lantern to light it again. The same man bent the flames of the candles that were illuminating the room, extinguishing all but one of them.

"Admiral Jeong Jeong, it's an honor to meet you." Lu Ten said as he bowed to the admiral.

"It is an honor to meet you as well, Prince Lu Ten. Princess Azula." Jeong Jeong replied. "Please, sit. There is a lot that needs to be explained in a short amount of time."

The three fugitives were seated once again in front of a table, drinking tea. "Lu, what's with all these people and giving us tea?"

Lu Ten laughed softly. "It's a good way to calm the nerves, especially with what we've been going through. Also, it never hurts to drink tea with strangers. As dad says, 'Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights.'"

"That does sound like Uncle." Azula said before taking a sip of her tea. "Hmm, it's jasmine tea this time."

"Now that you're all settled, I should first tell you we will not be able to take you to Ba Sing Se, which was where we were planning to take you originally. We're going to take you to the Southern Water Tribe."

"There's no way the Water Tribe will allow us to step foot in their village." Mizuki argued.

"That's why when you get there you must surrender yourselves. Gain their trust, with what's happened tonight, I know no one in my crew will think of fighting them. My men and women are loyal to Fire Lord Azulon and his bloodline. The objective is to keep Prince Lu Ten and Princess Azula safe." There was no room for argument.

"Also, if we can gain the Water Tribe's trust, there is a chance that there will be unity in the world again. We, the Fire Nation, have dishonored ourselves by starting the war. We need to work with our opposite to restore peace. You will leave before day break." Jeong Jeong concluded.

"Day break is going to be here shortly." Lu Ten said as he looked out the window.

"You three had better prepare yourselves. Captain Mizuki, this letter is for you. The letter will tell the crew I have assembled for the three of you to follow your orders." Jeong Jeong said as he handed the sealed letter to the Captain.

"But how did you know I was with the prince and princess?" Mizuki asked.

"We have people we trust who pass word around quickly, even during times like these." Jeong Jeong replied while staring at Azula.

Everyone stayed quiet, waiting for Jeong Jeong to tell them when they were going to leave. Azula leaned up against Lu Ten, feeling tired and in need of comfort; this was too much for her.

The sky was gradually starting to turn from a dark to a light purple. "It's time to go." Jeong Jeong said as he opened the door. "Quickly."

All three of them quickly got up from their seats and followed Jeong Jeong. They were getting close to a small ship a short distance from the house they were at. "That's the ship you will be taking. We need to get you on before guards come around here for their patrol."

Just as they reached the gangplank to the ship a huge firewall appeared in front of them, blocking their way and causing them to jump back.

"Well, well, well. Admiral Jeong Jeong, I'm surprised you would betray your own country." Akuzo said as he and a few of his firebending soldiers walked out from their hiding place.

"It is not I who betrayed my country General Akuzo. You betrayed your country when you killed your Fire Lord and Prince Ozai." Jeong Jeong retorted.

"No… daddy's dead?" Azula whispered to herself as she grabbed hold of her cousin's hand.

"That's Fire Lord Akuzo."

"You will never be my Fire Lord." With that, Jeong Jeong started attacking the soldiers. "Get on the ship!"

Lu Ten held onto Azula's hand tightly as he ran towards the gangplank with Mizuki close behind him. Just as they reached the edge of the gangplank, Azula tripped. That moment was all Akuzo needed to attack the three fugitives.

Seeing the huge fireball aimed towards his cousin, Lu Ten jumped in front of Azula and tried to block the fire, but failed as the fireball broke through and struck him directly in the chest.

Azula felt like everything had frozen around her as she saw her cousin fall in front of her and let out a horrific scream.

"LU TEN!" Azula shouted as she grabbed hold of him trying to think of what she could do to help, but it was too late for the prince.

"Azula, I'm… so-sorry." Was all Lu Ten could say before closing his eyes, never to wake up again.

Azula began to cry, mixing her cousin's blood with her tears. Mizuki grabbed Azula and ran up the gangplank as other firebenders from the ship came down and helped Jeong Jeong. Soon, the ship sailed away from the port, away from the Fire Nation.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Hmm… Azula?" Mizuki asked, concerned as she saw how pale the princess was.

Azula started to shake violently as she pushed herself off her seat and to the closest trash bin. She leaned over the trash bin and vomited last night's dinner. When she was done emptying her stomach contents, she quickly fainted. Then, even though she was unconscious, her body began to convulse violently.

"Oh no! Someone, quickly, get the doctor! Princess Azula has gone into shock!" Mizuki yelled down the hall as she laid Azula on her back and lifted the princess' legs slightly.

Mizuki wrapped the princess' cloak around Azula like a blanket and carefully firebended warmth onto the cloak.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

A few hours later, Mizuki was sitting in the princess' cabin, keeping her eye on Azula as she slept. All the crew could do was wait to know how their princess was feeling.

Mizuki jumped when she saw Azula started to stir. "Azula."

Azula slowly opened her eyes, and glanced at Mizuki. "Wha-what happened?"

"You went into shock. Most likely from what happened to your family." Mizuki explained.

"My family?" Azula said quietly as she began to cry.

"Uh… Azula? Do you remember what happened?"

"Not much… I just remember seeing lots of fire and smoke. And…"

"And what?"

"Blood. Burnt blood. From that boy who saved me."

Mizuki was surprised to hear that Azula didn't remember her cousin. "You mean Lu Ten?"

"Is that is name? The boy who saved me?"

"Yes."

Azula went quiet, not sure what else to say. That's the way it stayed for the rest of the journey on the Fire Nation ship.


	2. The Southern Water Tribe

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 1: The Southern Water Tribe**

**Notes:** This was originally part of the prologue, but it felt too long for me to have the Southern Water Tribe in with the flash back.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

A few days had passed and nearly everyone was on deck trying to spot the Southern Water Tribe.

"Argh! It shouldn't be this hard to find them," Mizuki complained as she lowered her telescope. "We need to find them soon. We're really low on supplies."

"Um… Mizuki. What's that over there?" Azula asked as she looked beyond the bowsprit of the ship.

Mizuki looked over where Azula was looking through her telescope. "Wow, Azula. You have amazing eyesight to spot the village. Helmsman set a course for the village straight ahead. We're going to need to cut off the engines sometime before we hit the shores so we don't accidentally destroy their village."

"Yes, ma'am." The helmsman replied.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

When they finally got close enough to the village, the crew that was on deck could see villagers keeping an eye on them. The men of the village came walking up to the ship, ready to fight if necessary.

"Wait, we are not here to fight!" Mizuki announced. "Please do not attack, hear us out."

"That's hard to believe since you firebenders have attacked our village before." One man argued.

When Azula heard that firebenders were attacking other nations she looked over the deck railing to see the Water Tribe men.

"What? Oh, the Southern Raiders. Are they still attacking?" Mizuki questioned.

"There haven't been any attacks in two weeks until you came."

"We promise we're not here to attack you. We'll surrender and become your prisoners," Mizuki said quickly.

The men of the Water Tribe looked at each other not sure what to do. "Hakoda, should we take them up on that offer?"

The man Azula saw speaking for the Water Tribe group looked up at the ship again. "What's that child doing on the ship?"

Azula knew they were talking about her since she was the only child on the ship. Mizuki looked over at the Fire Nation princess. "She is why we have come to the Southern Water Tribe for help. Let us come down and we will explain everything. No fighting."

The men let them lower the gangplank and step onto the Southern Water Tribe's land officially. "Everyone surrender to the water tribe for Azula's sake." Mizuki order as she got on her knees and place her arms out for the Water Tribe to bind.

Everyone did what they were ordered to do, including Azula. Hakoda looked at Azula and softened a bit.

"We'll only take the adults prisoner, except for you who I presume is the captain." Hakoda said addressing Mizuki.

"Yes, I am the captain."

"Good, you will be explaining the whole thing to us."

The crew had their arms bind behind their backs with rope and all of them were guided to the village. "Bato, you and the other men should take the crew to the south end of the village and try to find some warm clothes so they don't freeze to death. Assuming they are telling the truth we don't want to show cruelty to them. Captain, you and the child come with me." Hakoda ordered.

Mizuki and Azula followed Hakoda further into the village. They were guided to the igloo in the center of village. As they approached the igloo an old woman walked out.

"Hakoda, what are those Fire Nation women doing here?" The old woman asked.

"Mother, can you get Kya please? It's kind of important." Hakoda asked.

Hakoda's mother eyed Mizuki and Azula before entering the igloo again. It only took a few minutes before a younger woman walked out of the igloo.

"Kanna said you needed me for something that involved the Fire Nation." Kya said in a worried voice as she saw Azula and Mizuki.

"Please look after the child. She doesn't need to be involved with what the Fire Nation crew and their captain here are going to discuss about with the council and I." Hakoda asked kindly.

Kya looked at Azula. Azula started looking around at the village. Besides it being far colder than it was in the Fire Nation there were a lot of different things she hadn't seen before.

"Alright, Hakoda. You're right the child does not need to be invol- Spirits! Is that blood on her clothes?" Kya gasped as she knelt down in front of Azula.

Hearing their mother's voice rise, two children stuck their head out from the igloo. They saw their mother checking the pale skinned child in front of them.

"Yes, it is blood, but it's not her blood." Mizuki replied. "Please the sooner I explain the situation the fewer questions there will be."

"Fine. Follow me. Kya, think you can spare some of Katara's clothes for her?" Hakoda asked his wife.

"I'm sure we'll find something. Follow me sweetie. Let's get you warmed up." Kya said gently as she held her hand out for Azula to take.

Azula slowly grabbed Kya's hand and was led into the igloo. "Mommy, who is that girl?" the little water tribe girl asked.

"I don't know her name, honey. What is your name, sweetie?" Kya asked kindly. Having two children of her own, she knew how to talk to them. She understood why Hakoda wanted her to look after the Fire Nation child.

"Azula."

"That's a pretty name. These are my children. My son, Sokka, my daughter, Katara, and I'm Kya." Kya introduced. "Now let's get you out of these bloody clothes. Katara, can you find some of your clothes for her to borrow?"

"Okay, mom." Katara ran over to her chest to find some clothes.

"Sokka, go help your grandmother with dinner, please."

"But-"

"No, buts Sokka." Kya said.

Sokka sighed. "Fine."

"Is there blood anywhere else besides your clothes Azula?" Kya asked.

"No, Mizuki helped wash the blood away some time ago." Azula answered.

Katara came running back with some of her clothes in her arms. "Here they are, mommy."

"That's great honey. Azula, Katara, follow me." The two girls followed Kya behind a curtain away from the fire where Sokka and Kanna were. "Here, I'm going to help you out of your clothes and into some of my daughter's."

It wasn't hard for them to remove Azula's Fire Nation clothes. The hard part was putting all the layers of the Water Tribe clothes on her. "Hopefully you're warmer now than you were when you came here."

"Much warmer." Azula replied while smiling and hugging herself trying to feel the warmth in her arms again. She looked down her anorak, seeing a crescent moon along with a few wavy lines inside a circle.

"That's the symbol of the Water Tribe," Kya answered Azula's silent question. "Katara, do you mind playing with Azula?"

"Sure mommy! C'mon Azula, you have to see our pet Polar Bear Dog!" Katara grabbed Azula's hand and dragged her to the Polar Bear Dog near the fire. "This is our Polar Bear Dog, Koro."

Azula stayed still, looking at the Polar Bear Dog. She didn't know how to react, since the only animals she'd seen in person were the Turtle Ducks near a pond. She couldn't remember which pond it was in the Fire Nation, but she remembered the big tree that hung over the pond as well.

"He's so…" Azula started.

"Koro is so, what Azula?"

"He's so fluffy." Azula said as she blushed.

Katara laughed which caused Azula to blush more. "Haven't you seen furry animals before?"

"No, the only animals I've seen were Turtle Ducks, and they're feathery, not fluffy."

"If you think he's fluffy just by looking at him you should hug him and feel how fluffy he is!" Katara grabbed Azula's hand and dragged the Fire Nation girl close to the Polar Bear Dog.

"Koro, this is Azula. Be nice," Katara ordered the Polar Bear Dog.

Koro opened one of his eyelids to look at Azula. He got up and walked over to the firebender. He sniffed her for a while until he licked the side of Azula's face. Azula was taken slightly aback since she wasn't expecting to be licked. Koro pushed his head into her chest, knocking the girl over.

"Aw, Koro likes you!" Katara exclaimed as Koro laid his head down on Azula's stomach and had his paws on either side of the firebender. "He only lays on top of the people he likes."

Azula just stayed still looking at Koro as he fell asleep on her. "He's so fluffy." She said again.

Kanna just stared at the two girls and the dog, not very amused. She didn't care if the firebender was just a child. After what happened to her friend Hama a little over fifty years ago she couldn't trust anyone from the Fire Nation.

"Gran Gran, when are the stewed sea prunes going to be done?" Sokka asked as his stomach growled.

"Soon, Sokka."

Just as Sokka was about to ask another question Hakoda walked in with Mizuki close behind him. "Kya, let Mizuki and Bato look after the children. I need to talk to you and mother."

"Uh, sure," Kya said as she looked at her husband from around the curtain. She had just finished finding a place to store Azula's Fire Nation clothes away from the other clothes until she could remove the blood.

"Children, follow Mizuki please. Koro, come on get off Azula," Hakoda said as he nudged the Polar Bear Dog off the young firebender.

Katara, Sokka, and Azula quickly followed Mizuki out of the igloo. "Aw man, are we ever going to eat?" Sokka complained.

Azula saw the crew already back on the ship. "Mizuki, are we leaving?" she asked.

"Not exactly, Azula," Mizuki said as she knelt down to Azula's height. "This might be hard for you to understand, especially with what happened two weeks ago."

"What happened two weeks ago? I told you I can't remember anything but a lot of fire, smoke, and the blood that was on my clothes," Azula complained.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. Azula, I hope someday you can remember what happened. As terrible as it was, it is part of who you are. The crew and I are going to try and find the rest of your family, who we hope are still alive. You're going to stay here in the Southern Water Tribe where it's safe," Mizuki tried explaining.

"If you find them, will you come back for me?" Azula asked.

"I can't promise anything, Azula. I'm not sure if we'll ever find them. I really want to promise you that we will, but I can't bring myself to give you false hope," Mizuki said as she brushed the girl's hair out of her face.

Tears started to build in Azula's eyes. She did the first thing that came to her mind. Azula hugged Mizuki as tightly as she could and cried into the Fire Nation captain's shoulder. Mizuki hugged Azula back just as hard. The two of them had gone through so much in the past two weeks it was heartbreaking for them to part.

"Captain. Here are the swords you requested," One of the female crew members said as she handed the sheathed double broadswords to Mizuki.

"Thank you. Go back to the ship. We'll be leaving shortly," Mizuki ordered before turning back to Azula. "The rest of the crew and I thought it'd be best if you keep these broadswords with you to help you remember the Fire Nation."

The captain carefully handed the swords to her princess. Azula had trouble lifting it up because of the weight. "It's a little heavy right now, but I'm sure in time you'll be able to master using them," Mizuki said with a sad smile before putting the sword's strap around the Azula so the sword rested across the princess' back.

They stared at each other for a while before hugging each other again. When Hakoda, Kya, and Kanna walked out of the igloo, Mizuki let go of her princess and stood up.

"We should be going," Mizuki said to the three Water Tribe adults.

"That would be best," Kanna said bluntly.

Mizuki looked down at the Fire Nation princess. She was speechless, not sure what else to say to the girl. Azula just hugged the captain again. Mizuki returned the hug one last time before parting and walking as fast as she could to the ship to prevent the parting from being any harder than it already was.

Tears poured down Azula's cheeks. Katara reached out and grabbed Azula's hand giving it a tight squeeze while Azula kept on crying. The chief's family stayed outside with Azula until the Fire Nation ship was out of sight.

Kya placed a hand on the firebender's shoulder causing Azula to look up at her. She wiped the tears away with her free hand.

"Let's go inside and get some food in your stomach. That should make you feel better."

Everyone walked back into the igloo where the stewed sea prunes were ready. Katara sat herself down next to Azula, wanting to help the girl as much as possible. Kya smiled at her daughter's gesture.

"Here you go, Sokka. Eat to your heart's content," Hakoda said to his son as he handed a bowl of stewed sea prunes. "Just remember to leave some for the rest of us."

Kya passed bowls to Kanna and Katara before getting a small spoon full of stewed sea prunes for Azula. "I think you should try it first to see how you like it."

The firebender took the spoon and sipped the stew. She felt her stomach turn violently. Kya and Katara couldn't help but smile.

"It's usually not tasty for those who aren't used to it," Kya said. "Here, at least eat a little more of the stew so you can get used to the taste. It's a common dish. Would you like rice?"

She didn't trust herself to open her mouth and risk losing her stomach contents because of the stew, so Azula just nodded.

Kya handed Azula a bowl with rice and stewed sea prunes. "Does anyone else want rice with their stew?" Katara and Hakoda were the only ones who responded. Sokka was too busy trying to set a record for eating the most stewed sea prunes while Kanna simply stared at Azula, waiting for the firebender to bring havoc onto the Water Tribe.

Azula looked at the Water Tribe family as they ate their dinner. This was going to be her home from now on. She hid her smile behind the bowl of her dinner.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Later that night, after Kya had put all three children to bed, the adults stayed up to further discuss the situation they were in.

"This is very different compared to yesterday. I did not expect to become a guardian to another child close to Katara's age," Kya said softly.

"None of us did," Hakoda said before sipping more stewed sea prunes.

"I can't believe you took the child in or even let the Fire Nation into our village Hakoda. If you father was still alive he wouldn't have allowed that to happen," Kanna pointed out, obviously very upset with her son.

"Mother, you don't understand. When Azula looked down at the other men and I, I could tell that Fire Nation crew was not lying. They were just trying to get that girl to safety. And from what Mizuki said, there is no way someone could make up something like that and show signs of mental trauma." Hakoda justified.

"But how can we be sure they won't attack us later?" Kya asked her husband.

Hakoda pondered the potential future. "I'm going on my instincts here. If what Mizuki said was true we may get more Fire Nation attacks, but it won't be from them. It'll be from their new Fire Lord. I'll gather the men and start a lookout so we can ambush the Fire Nation ships before they even get a chance to come near the village again."

"It's just a bad idea keeping the princess of the Fire Nation here. There will be soldiers after her. Even if the soldiers don't come after her, she might become like them," Kanna argued.

"I won't let that happen." Hakoda said as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's young and here in the Water Tribe. There might be a chance that she'll learn to be one of us even if she is of Fire Nation birth."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she hates the Fire Nation because they murdered her grandfather, father, and cousin. Also no one knows if her mother, uncle, and brother are still alive. If her mother is alive I can only imagine what it would feel like to not know if one of your children is alive.

"If it was us and Katara was taken to the Fire Nation, I'd hope a family would take her in and try to keep her safe as well. I agree with Hakoda. Azula should stay here. There's nowhere else for her to go that's safe."

Kanna eyed her son and daughter-in-law. "Fine, do what you want, but don't expect me to treat her as another grandchild."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Three years had gone by since the Imperial Firebenders left Azula with the Southern Water Tribe, in the care of Chief Hakoda and his wife, Kya.

"Come on, Azula there's a huge snow ball fight going on outside with the other kids."

Even after three years, Katara still constantly dragged Azula practically everywhere. Azula wasn't complaining, she just found it funny how she could never keep up with the waterbender. It was only shortly after Azula arrived that she found out Katara was the last waterbender in the South Pole.

Also in the past three years Azula had been training with the Wolf Warriors with Sokka. Since she was about Sokka's height she was a good partner for him to work with. Normally females were not allowed to train with the men. During the training with the Wolf Warriors, Azula learned how to track and fight just like the men. They treated her just like the other boys who were also in training.

After training with the other Wolf Warriors, Hakoda took some personal time to keep an eye on Azula as she practiced using the dual broadswords that the Fire Nation crew had wanted her to keep when they left her. She's been spending most of her time trying to hold the swords up and swinging them in a crasada and reverse crasada motion without losing control. She knew one day she'd be able to use the swords to the best of her ability.

As Azula and Katara walked over to the center circle, Sokka saw them. "Cool, we're on even now. Let's play snow wars!"

"Snow wars?" Azula asked as she looked over at Katara.

"It's Sokka being big meanie. There's usually one prisoner, usually a girl and two teams have to go through a snowball fight to rescue the prisoner. One team protects their fort and the prisoner from the prisoner's team. The prisoner's team is trying to get into the fort and save their prisoner," Katara explained.

"Katara is the prisoner!" Sokka yelled.

"What? No way!" Katara objected.

"All in favor for Katara being the prisoner?" Sokka asked the group.

Everyone except Azula raised their hands. "Well, at least someone appreciates me," Katara mumbled as she walked over Sokka's team so they could guide her to their fort.

"I call Tsukihiro on my team!" Sokka shouted while running after his sister.

"Looks like Azula is on Teruko's team," Tsukihiro said also following Sokka.

Azula just sighed, not understanding why Sokka volunteered his sister to be the prisoner. Teruko had a group circle going on to plan their strategy to save Katara.

"Let's keep three who have good arms to throw from a distance while the rest will go full out on the offense. Who's good at throwing far?" Teruko asked her group.

Everyone looked at each other. "How are we supposed to know?" One girl asked.

Teruko sighed. "Okay, do I have any volunteers who think that can throw far and hit someone?"

Two boys volunteered. Not seeing anyone else planning to volunteer, Azula raised her hand. "Great, get into position," Teruko ordered.

"I have a feeling this is going to end badly, the way how Teruko is organizing this." Azula commented to herself as she got behind the makeshift snow wall.

Once everyone was in position, they waited to see who was going to make the first shot. Some adults stopped what they were doing to see what the kids were up to. It wasn't the first snow war that'd happened with the kids, but this was the first where they weren't immediately chucking snowballs at each other.

"This is annoying." Azula said to the other two boys. She peeked over the snow wall she could see Tsukihiro and a few other boys still waiting for her team to make the wrong move.

Azula grabbed hold of one of the many snowballs behind the wall. "Guys, once I throw the snowball pull me down as fast as you can, got it?"

The two boys nodded. Azula carefully looked over the wall again, if she timed it right, Tsukihiro would stand up and she'd be able to hit him before he could throw his snowball. Sure enough he did. Azula shot up and threw the snowball. The two boys grabbed hold of Azula by the waist and pulled her down quickly.

"Urgh!" Tsukihiro yelled, realizing he's been hit. "I'm out! Everyone, all out war on Teruko's team! No fear!"

Sokka's team ran over the wall starting to charge at Teruko's team just as Tsukihiro left the battlefield, onto the sidelines.

"My team, charge!" Teruko ordered.

The adults laughed seeing how the usual snow war between the children had finally started. Azula stayed on the defenses like she was ordered, pegging members of Sokka's team with every fifth snowball she threw. That was until Teruko retreated and hid behind the wall with Azula and the other two boys.

"Teruko!" All three of them shouted.

"Sorry, we're out numbered!"

Azula looked over the snow wall only to be nearly hit with a snowball herself. She glanced over once again. There were four of her team and six of Sokka's remaining.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. First we're going to crawl over to the west wall carefully to not get hit. That way if the charge at this wall we won't be here," Azula ordered.

The four of them quickly scurried to the west wall. Just as they made it to the wall Sokka's team attacked. "Now we attack. Boys, take out the members Sokka's team attacking from the south wall. Teruko and I will get Katara. On three."

"Three, Two ONE!" All four kids charged their separate ways.

One of the boys on Teruko's team was hit while the other one hit the two boys on Sokka's team. As Azula and Teruko charged towards the northern wall Sokka and two other boys were left.

"Teruko, go after the boys. Sokka is mine!" Azula dropped to the ground and slid underneath of the moves closer to Sokka.

Both Sokka and Azula held a fighting stance, seeing who was going to make the first move. "You know Sokka, unlike your team my team is pretty merciful. Give up with dignity and you won't have to lose to a girl."

"Argh! Giving up is worse that losing to you!" Sokka tossed his last snowball only to barely miss Azula.

A smirk crossed Azula's face as she threw her last snowball, pegging Sokka right in the face. Before anyone could recover, Azula jumped over Sokka and the snow wall, only to find that Katara was playing with Koro.

"Gee, thanks Katara. I help save you and you're busying playing with Koro," Azula said sarcastically.

"Well, what did you expect me to do while you and everyone else was busy throwing snowballs at each other and I'm stuck being a prisoner?" Katara responded.

"Maybe pay attention to the fight to find weakness in the other players and use it to your advantage!" Azula said loudly.

Katara and Azula continued to argue with each other neither being aware that Sokka was sneaking up on Azula.

"SNEAK ATTA- ARGH!" Sokka shouted before being pegged by nearly every kid with a snowball. "WHY IS EVERYONE ATTACKING ME?"

"SNOWBALL RIOT!" Tsukihiro shouted. Every kid started throwing snowballs at everyone not caring which kid they hit.

Azula quickly pushed Katara down protecting her from the wild snowballs that flew towards them. "You know a proper thank you would be nice as well," Azula continued their argument.

"Okay, fine how about this? My hero!" Katara exclaimed in a very perky tone as she hugged Azula. "For your bravery a kiss on the cheek."

"Alright, we won! Next time Azula you're going to be the- wah!" Teruko tripped and pushed Azula on top of Katara just as Katara was about to kiss Azula's cheek.

"Oops sorry." Teruko apologized. When she looked over at Azula and Katara she blushed.

Teruko had accidentally pushed Azula to kiss Katara on the lips. "Spirits I'm really sorry. Azula, you're the leader next time," Teruko apologized again and ran off to the free for all snowball fight.

Once it registered to Azula and Katara that their lips were touching they quickly pulled away from each other. They were both blushing but couldn't help but smile at each other.

"What are you two smiling about?" Sokka asked. As he climbed over the snow wall covered in a lot of snow.

"Nothing," Both girls replied before running away from Sokka.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Another three years had gone by before Azula managed to hold the broadswords long enough to go through the many motions necessary to use the swords. Now all she needed to work on was to be able to fight with them. At the age of eleven, Azula had become the youngest participant in the ritual of Ice Dodging.

"The spirits of the water bear witness to these marks. For Tsukihiro, the mark of the wise. For Teruko, the mark of the brave. And for Azula, the mark of the trusted," Tsukihiro, Teruko, and Azula all looked at each other. The three of them now had a bond with each other that couldn't be broken.

By the time the sun had set the whole village was gathered around a huge bonfire in celebration of Tsukihiro's Coming of Age. Azula normally would have sat with Kya, Sokka, and Katara, but today she sat with Teruko and Tsukihiro close to where Chief Hakoda and the Southern Water Tribe councilmen sat.

Once everyone had a little bit to eat Hakoda stood up earning the silence and attention of everyone.

"Today is a special day for another member of our tribe. To Tsukihiro and his crew members in the success of his Ice Dodging Ritual." With that Tsuhikiro, Teruko, and Azula stood up as the village cheered for them.

Tsukihiro's father walked up to the young man and handed his son a wolf warrior's battle uniform.

Hakoda continued after Tsukihiro's father took a seat. "Tsukihiro." Tsukihiro turned his attention to Hakoda with pride. "Should the water tribe go to war, may the spirits help us we do not, you are to come with us to defend your tribe. For this day forward, Tsukihiro is a Wolf Warrior!"

Everyone in the village cheered. Once everyone calmed down Hakoda spoke up again. "Not only is this a celebration for Tsukihiro, it is a celebration for Azula as well."

Hearing what Hakoda said shocked everyone. "Azula." Azula walked up to Hakoda like Tsukihiro had done seconds before her.

"You are of Fire Nation birth. You were brought here six years ago and in those six years you have grown up with us and learned about our traditions and customs. Today you helped Tsukihiro with his Ice Dodging Ritual by controlling the jib. You received the mark of the trusted, and that makes you a member of our tribe. If you want, the Southern Water Tribe can be your home."

Everyone continued to stay quiet, not sure what to say. It was uncommon for someone outside the water tribe to be declared a member. Azula thought carefully of what had just been announced to the whole tribe.

"I am honored to be considered a member of the tribe now. When I first came here I didn't know how to express myself to anyone. So much has happened to me and even though I have no memory of it, I do know that thanks to the patience and kindness I received here in the past six years I've always felt comfort here and can't imagine anywhere else as my home. Thank you, Chief Hakoda," Azula finished her speech by bowing to Hakoda.

Azula sat back down next to Teruko as Hakoda continued his announcements. "One more thing for this celebration. Tonight we also celebrate the Winter Solstice. Happy Solstice everyone!"

"Happy Solstice!" Everyone cheered before going back to eating and celebrating the three special occasions.

For some reason Azula's eyes were drawn to Katara. For a long moment Azula simply stared at her, admiring the image as fire and moonlight played across her skin. Suddenly Katara looked over at Azula and gave the firebender a warm smile. Azula blushed and continued eating her food to keep herself from staring at Katara again.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

One year later Fire Nation ships were sighted in Southern Water Tribe waters. Even though the Fire Nation wasn't attacking any villages all the men thought to play it safe and ambush the ships before setting out to the Earth Kingdom to help end the war.

All the men, including Tsukihiro, were packed and getting ready to leave when Sokka came walking up to one of the boats struggling to carry his sleeping bag and gear. Azula was closely following her training partner with sympathy in her eyes, knowing that Sokka would not be able to join the rest of the men.

Hakoda saw the two approaching. "Sokka."

"I'm coming with you," Sokka claimed.

Hakoda sighed, knowing what he was about to say was going to hurt his son. "You're not old enough to go to war, Sokka, you know that."

"I'm strong! I'm brave! I can fight! Please, Dad!" he pleaded.

"Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most, and for you right now that's here protecting your sister." Hakoda explained while placing his hand on Sokka's shoulder.

Azula was able to tell from Sokka's voice that he was on the verge of tears. "I don't understand," Sokka said weakly.

"Someday you will," Hakoda said.

With that Sokka dropped his gear and hugged his father. "I'm going to miss you so much," Hakoda finished as he returned Sokka's hug.

Once they parted Sokka picked up his gear and started to walk quickly back to the village.

"Azula."

"Yes, chief?"

Hakoda couldn't help but smile. "You know you don't have to call me "Chief", you can just call me "Hakoda"."

"Yes, I know, but it would feel awkward if I did, especially since I lived with you and your family since I came here," Azula said truthfully while avoiding eye contact with Hakoda.

"Understandable. I have a favor to ask you. Please look after Sokka and help him look after the village. This is probably going to be hard on him. You and I both know how much he wants to go."

"I will chief." Azula said as she bowed. "Um… would there ever be a chance for Sokka and I to help fight?"

"Maybe for Sokka, but Azula I hope you will never have to. I know we bent the rules and allowed you to train with the rest of the men, but I don't want you getting hurt. I don't have a definite answer for you. I'm sorry," Hakoda said honestly.

"I understand, Chief Hakoda," Azula bowed once more and went to find Sokka.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Later that night everyone in the village gathered around the shore holding lanterns and watching the men leave the Southern Water Tribe to go off to war.

"This isn't fair. We stayed out of the war for so long," Katara protested quietly as she held her brother close.

"What's not fair is that I'm not going too," Sokka said sadly.

Azula placed her hand on Sokka's shoulder. "You'll get your chance. It just wasn't time for us to go."

Once the boats were out of sight everyone began walking back to the village. Azula, Katara, and Sokka all walked quietly back to their igloo with Kanna and Kya following closely behind them.

"Alright, off to bed all three of you," Kanna said as they entered the igloo.

"Yes, Gran Gran."

It didn't take long for all three of them to prepare for bed and under the covers of the many fur blankets. Sokka fell asleep immediately. Azula was close to falling asleep when Katara woke her up.

"Hey, Azula," Katara said quietly not trying to wake anyone else in the igloo.

"Yeah."

"Do you think the Avatar will ever return?"

Azula opened her eyes and looked at the igloo ceiling. "I don't know Katara. This war has been going on for nearly a hundred years. You would think the Avatar would have done something to stop the war by now. We know that the Avatar should have been born into the Air Nomads one hundred years ago, but they were wiped out. And if the Air Nomad Avatar were killed when the other Air Nomads were, a Water Tribe Avatar would have been born.

"Unless the Fire Nation had killed the Water Tribe Avatar within the last hundred years the Avatar would start off as an Earthbender. And if the Fire Nation did kill the Earth Kingdom Avatar the cycle has no where else to go without the Air Nomads," Azula speculated.

"So, that means you don't think the Avatar will return," Katara whispered bitterly.

"I didn't say that nor did I imply it I just speculated on a possible reason to why the Avatar hasn't helped stop the war yet. There's also the possibility that the Avatar hasn't shown himself is because he hasn't mastered Airbending," Azula defended.

"The Avatar will return, and will know how to airbend. He or she has to." Katara finished before turning over telling Azula their conversation was done.

"If the Avatar does return knowing how to airbend, I'll teach you how to kick Sokka's butt the warrior's way so he has something to sulk about," Azula promised before turning over in her sleeping bag as well.

"That would be great. I'll hold you to it."

The two of them didn't know that two years from that day Azula would have to go through with that promise.


	3. The Avatar is a Fool

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 2: The Avatar is a Fool**

**Notes: **Just wondering from you guys. In the future chapters, should I have Zhao and the Yu Yen archers kidnap Aang like they did in the series and Azula has to go rescue him in disguise? I'm curious to what you think.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

_"Azula, I'm… so-sorry." Was all Lu Ten could say before closing his eyes to never wake up again._

_Azula began to cry mixing her cousin's blood with her tears. Mizuki grabbed Azula and ran up the gangplank as other firebenders from the ship came down and helped Jeong Jeong. Leaving them and the Fire Nation._

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The firebender woke with a start. Once a year Azula had been haunted by the nightmare of her cousin's death, usually on the anniversary of her arrival into the Southern Water Tribe.

Nine years have passed since that tragic day. Every year Azula remembers more about what happened. She could smell the fire, smoke, and blood as if it was yesterday.

She began to remember what her cousin looked like. She remembered his bangs covering a little of his upper eyelids, but not long enough to be put up in his topknot. She also remembered how Lu Ten was a good six inches taller than her uncle.

If she were asked about who overthrew the Fire Lord or who was the Fire Lord that was overthrown, she wouldn't be able to respond. She couldn't remember the important details of that night.

Azula took a deep breath. She felt her inner fire rise and warm her body up. Being a firebender she naturally rose with the sun. Quietly she got out of her sleeping bag and started gathering materials for her morning training session.

Once she had her anorak on and her swords with her she slowly crept out of the igloo not awaking anyone else. As she exited the igloo she saw that the sun was starting to rise above the horizon.

"One thing I hate about winter is that the days are shorter." Azula mumbled to herself as she walked across the village to the eastern wall.

Even though Azula trained with the other men on the basic warrior's training, and with Hakoda on their own free time with her broadswords. Azula had been getting up every morning to practice her firebending on her own since she was six. Not wanting to accidentally melt the village Hakoda had set up a makeshift firebending training area just outside the village.

She looked over her training area, it looked like she only had a few more training days before she would have to take the time to rebuild her training area since some of the snow and ice had melted. Azula stared at the rising sun and took a big breath trying to feel the sun in her inner fire.

The firebender was able to remember her early firebending training she had back in the Fire Nation. Her uncle, who's face she couldn't remember, always told her that proper breathing makes the most powerful fire not the muscle.

Azula dropped into a horse stance and began punching slowly but with a lot of power. At a steady pace her punches gradually sped up to where there wasn't a second that went by did a fireball fly out of the firebender's hands.

"495. 496. 497. 498. 499. 500!" Azula shouted as her last punch flew over the water hitting a nearby glacier.

The blood and adrenaline was beginning to rush through her veins. Azula could hear her heart beat through her eardrums as she tried to control her heart rate by taking longer and deeper breathes than she normally does.

Finally she was able to bring her heart rate down. She began to stretch out more of her muscles now that she was warmed up. Next she was going to do a series of kicks. Knowing how warm she was going to get, Azula took off her anorak.

"Okay kicks." Azula dropped back slightly and started her series of kicks with a front kick.

"Front. Front. Side. Side. Round. Round." Azula slightly mumbled to herself with each kick. Doing only two of each kick perfectly transitioning from each kick to the other without pausing.

Each kick had either a fireball or fire arc bending through the open air hitting glaciers. When she finished her series of kicks she smoothly drew her swords out from their sheath and began attack invisible enemies that surrounded her. The firebender was so busy with her training she didn't sense Kya walking up to the training area.

Kya stayed a good distance away from Azula. Her mouth hanged in awe of the firebender's movements. She could remember when Azula was just beginning to figure how to firebend again so many years ago. Kya was also amazed on how Azula taught herself firebending.

"A prodigy." Kya whispered.

When Azula came to a stop, Kya clapped. Azula smiled when she heard Kya clapping. It wasn't unusual for Kya to come looking for Azula when she was firebending.

"Morning Azula."

Azula sheathed her swords before turning to face her guardian. "Morning Kya. You're actually up earlier than usual."

"Something told me today would be special day. Your firebender is coming along. I see you incorporated what you learned from Hakoda and the other men into your firebending." Kya observed.

"It's mostly for defense. Firebending is very offensive and I need to be able to defend myself if I can't attack whoever I fight." Azula explained. "Is Sokka and Katara still going on that fishing trip?"

Both Azula and Kya began walking back into the village. "Yes, Katara just woke up and is getting ready for it."

"And Sokka is still asleep?" Azula guessed.

Kya laughed. "Of course."

When Kya and Azula entered the village there were a few women starting their morning chores and a couple of kids already trying to find something to do. The village had become very quiet and lonely since the men left two years ago, but it was also calming for Azula for some reason.

"C'mon Sokka get up!" Katara shouted from inside the igloo.

Azula walked in seeing Katara having a ball of water hovering over Sokka. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Sokka, I'd listen to Katara."

Both girls heard the teenage boy grumble as he rolled over in his sleep. "I'm warning you Sokka. You have till the count of three." Katara threatened.

"Three." Azula said calmly not bothering to count from one.

Katara smiled and let the water drop over her brother. "Agah! Why you-" Sokka began to mutter in gibberish with his annoyance over the two benders.

"Not bad Katara you were actually able to hold the ball of water for a while. You're improving." Azula commented while setting her swords off in her side of the teens' small makeshift room.

"But I'm not as advanced as you are. You taught yourself firebending." Katara defended as she dug through her chest.

"I had a firebending teacher when I was back in the Fire Nation. It's rather annoying how I remember some of the not as important details of my past." Azula watched Katara dig through the chest. From where she was standing she had a nice angle of the waterbender's rear.

Azula blushed realizing what she had just thought. '_Katara would kill me if she knew I looked at her rear._' It was after their kiss when they were eight did Azula figure out was the first time she started having feelings for the waterbender. She originally brushed it off thinking it was her curiosity for her opposite, but as years went by her feelings grew stronger and stronger.

"Ah hah, found it!" Katara exclaimed while sitting up.

"What did you find? Was it food?" Sokka asked now fully awake.

Katara gave her brother a look of disbelief. "Why would I have food in my clothes chest?"

"Simple your secret stash of food. That's where I put mine."

"Great, I'll be sure to take it while you and Katara are out fishing today and hide it elsewhere." Azula commented sarcastically.

"You wouldn't dare." Sokka challenged.

Azula sighed. "If you say so."

"Argh, Sokka just get ready. You said we'd be leaving after breakfast. Azula come with me." Katara grabbed hold of the firebender's wrist and dragged her out of the igloo.

As Katara dragged Azula to some part of the village, the firebender couldn't help but chuckle to herself. '_Nine years and I'm still being dragged everywhere by her.'_

"Good, now that we're away from my brother. Do you remember what day it is today?" Katara asked.

"Yes, it's the day Sokka got his but kicked by me." Azula replied jokingly. Katara gave Azula the it's-not-funny look. "Okay, I'm sorry. It's the anniversary of when I came to the Southern Water Tribe."

Katara smiled. "Here, happy anniversary. I know coming here wasn't a happy moment for you, but it was for me. I got a new friend." Katara explained while handing a small box to her friend.

Azula uncrossed her folded arms and took the box into her hands. She slowly opened the box and saw a necklace much like Sokka's but with the Water Tribe insignia in the middle.

"Mom helped me make it for you while you and Sokka were training. I knew how much wearing the insignia meant to you nine years ago. So, I thought it be appropriate to make you a necklace with it."

The next thing Katara knew she was drawn up into a tight hug. "Thank you. It's amazing. Please help me put it on." Azula turned around as Katara reached out to tie the necklace together.

Once the necklace once around her neck, Azula reached up to feel the Water Tribe pendent around her neck. "You do realize I'm never taking this off right?"

"That's what I was hoping for." Katara said proudly. "Well, better finish getting ready before Sokka leaves without me."

Azula smiled as she watched Katara walked off. The firebender couldn't help but reach up to her neck to feel the necklace again. It will be a while before she got used to wearing it.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Nightfall had arrived as Azula stood on top of one of the walls surrounding the village. The whole village was worried. Sokka and Katara hadn't returned from their fishing trip, and there was the case of the mysterious beam of light that occurred a few hours before.

A light breeze passed Azula from the coast. "Brrr… it's cold out here Azula." Kya said as she walked up to the firebender. "I'm worried about them, they never took this long before."

"I'm sure Sokka knows what he's doing and will take care of Katara. I'm more worried about that beam of light we saw earlier. I just hope the Fire Nation doesn't show up. We're practically defenseless." Azula explained as she still looked out to the horizon for Sokka and Katara.

"That light didn't seem like something that involved the Fire Nation, but you're right. That light might give them an excuse to come looking for us. I hope not."

Kya and Azula waited outside for a little while longer. "I see you like Katara's gift." Kya observed.

Azula smiled. "Very much." She touched the Water Tribe pendent for the umpteenth time that day. "What is that?"

Coming from the horizon Azula and Kya both saw a fluffy white creature coming towards them.

"Mom! Azula!" Katara shouted while waving her hand.

"It's Katara!" Azula exclaimed as she jumped off the wall to meet up with Katara. "What are you doing on that?"

"His name is Appa. He's a sky bison!" Azula reached up to help the waterbender down. Katara climbed out of the saddle and grabbed hold of Azula's shoulders as she was lifted down back onto the ice.

"He's a snot monster who can supposedly fly swam all the way here thanks to that airbending kid." Sokka said while jumping off of Appa.

Azula and Kya couldn't help but laugh seeing Sokka still partially covered in some of Appa's mucus. "Wait, you said an airbender was riding this thing?"

"Yeah he's up on the head." Responded Sokka while he walked back into the village looking forward to a warm bath.

"He fell asleep on the way here. Azula help me bring him down please." Katara asked while climbing back up Appa.

The firebender followed Katara up the sky bison. She was slowly registering everything that was happening: mysterious light beams, a sky bison, an airbender, airbending tattoos, and what looked like a quickly packed traveling saddle. Azula took everything into account and came down to one conclusion.

"Avatar." Azula whispered to herself.

"What was that Azula?" Katara asked as both of them lowered Aang down towards Kya.

"What's his name?"

"Aang."

"Do you think he's the Avatar?" Azula asked carefully.

"I asked him on the way over he said, 'I didn't know him... I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't.'"

"How did he sound when he said that?"

"He sounded a bit nervous and unsure."

"Sounds like he's hiding something." Azula speculated as she jumped off of Appa's head.

"I think he was just nervous talking to me. We can only imagine what it would be like to talk to someone you just met after being trapped in a giant ice sphere." Katara replied.

"A giant ice sphere? Katara, what are you talking about?"

"That's what he was in when Sokka and I found him."

"Katara, did that light beam come from where you found Aang?" Azula questioned.

"Yes. It came from the ice sphere he was in after I broke it. Don't tell me you also think he was trying to signal the Fire Nation!"

"That was not my initial thought but it is one of the things that ran through my mind."

"Argh! I can't believe you and Sokka always thinking the worst in people!" Katara exclaimed as she walked away from Azula to help her mother carry Aang into the village.

Azula stayed behind as she began deducting the many possibilities. "If he can hold a flame tomorrow, there's no doubt that he is the Avatar."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Even though the sun wasn't over the horizon yet, Azula's biological clock knew what time it was. She quietly got up from her sleeping bag. Just as she was walking past Aang she stared at his sleeping form.

"He has to be him. It just has to be."

"It has to be what, Azula?"

Azula looked over at the fire to see Kya starting to cook breakfast. "I'm surprised you overslept today. Normally you would already be out training."

"It's getting closer to the Winter Solstice. The sun is going to take longer to rise."

"Yes, but that never stopped you before. Something's bothering you. And don't argue with me. I've raised you for over half your life. You're like a second daughter to me and I know when you're lying, no matter how good of a liar you can be sometimes."

Kya smiled softly at the firebender. Azula sighed and sat in front of the small fire. "It's still kind of cold in here."

"You can use your firebending to heat up the place a little more if you want." Kya replied as she dumped some Tiger Seal meat into the pot. "Besides I need a hotter fire for the stew."

Azula focused onto the fire, concentrating on making the fire grow. Once the fire was where she wanted it she brought her attention back to Kya. "I had the nightmare again yesterday." Azula quietly whispered.

The sound of the fire flickering helped calm Azula down a little with all the emotions she was holding in. Kya stopped what she was doing to give Azula her full attention.

Over the years after Azula had the annual nightmare, the two of them would sit by the fire as Azula would talk about what she saw and Kya sat and listened.

"Did you remember anything new this year?"

"I kind of remember what my mother looked like. Or maybe it's my imagination of what I thought she looked like. I remember how she woke me up in the middle of the night telling me that we had to hurry and get out of our home.

"Smoke was already spreading throughout our home. My mom, Lu Ten, and I were with two other people, my uncle and a boy about my age or a little older, I think he was my brother. There was a pillar that fell down as we were running to the nearest exit. Our home was huge, there were a lot of pillars with dragons wrapping around them. That's all I remember this time."

"That's improvement Azula. I glad to hear you're remembering what your mother looked like."

"The problem is Kya, she looks very similar to you. I can't help but think I'm putting you in her place only with pale skin, black hair, and gold eyes. The last time I saw my mom was nine years ago and we were trying to escape from the general who was attacking us. The same general who killed Lu Ten and proclaimed himself Fire Lord." Azula gritted.

The fire began to grow unintentionally as Azula's hate for the current Fire Lord grew. "He killed my cousin, my father, and my grandfather. He probably killed the rest of my family too. I'll never forgive him, one day I will go with Chief Hakoda and the other men and invade the Fire Nation with them.

"When that day comes, I will find the Fire Lord and kill him." Azula clutched her fists as embers began to fly out of the fire.

Kya slowly embraced the firebender trying to calm her down. "No, you won't. I know Hakoda will not let you do that. You're hurt and upset, do not let you anger cloud your judgment. You're a better firebender than that. The Azula I know and raised will find a way to bring the Fire Lord to justice without taking his life."

Both of them watched as the fire's intensity began fading into a more controlled state. "I think Lu Ten also wouldn't have liked me to avenge him that way either." Azula said after a while. "I remember how gentle hearted he was and how much he loved tea."

"I was wondering why it got so hot in here. Now I see that it was Azula almost losing her temper again. Is everything alright?" Kanna asked as she too sat in front of the fire.

"Just the annual talk we have about Azula remembering her past." Kya said as she began working on the breakfast again.

Kanna looked over at the firebending child. She remembered how much hate she had for the child just because she was born in the Fire Nation. As the years had gone by she began to believe her son that Azula would grow into a child of the Southern Water Tribe.

"Azula." Kanna said softly.

"Yes, Gran Gran." Azula internally smiled still not used to calling Kanna that.

"Come with me child. If it's anything like has happened in the past I think I know something that will help bring calm to you mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually." Azula followed Kanna.

The firebender was led to her firebending training area. "Azula, what I'm going to show you is something I learned from my friend Hama nearly sixty years ago. She was a waterbender, but what I'm about to show has helped me and other non-benders relax and calm us. Now make a small ball of fire."

Azula did what she was told. "Good, now while doing the moves I want you to bend your fire with the motions. It may be difficult for you since it is waterbending motions we will be doing."

Kanna slowly began moving in a very calm and peaceful waterbending form. Azula stared in awe while trying to visually pick up on the movements. "As you know water is your natural opposite, it is more calming and peaceful than fire. This waterbending form can be just as aggressive as fire if done properly keep that in mind. Come on don't just stand there, bend your fire and concentrate one what you feel."

Snapping out of her trance Azula moved even slower than Kanna trying to control her fire as she moved. After doing the form several times Azula began to concentrate on the movements rather than her fire, she knew she had her fire controlled.

"You're still stiff. Relax think of water and how it flows. Let your emotions flow whether they are sad, happy, anger, whatever emotion it is let it show through your bending. Stay here as long as you need to. I hope calm will be brought to you through this." Kanna began walking back to the village.

"Spirits, if she was an airbender, I would say Azula was the Avatar with how she understands the bending arts." One of the elder women said as they say Azula moving through the waterbending form bending fire.

"You never know Kiku. Azula could be a descendent of an Avatar." Kanna joked. "She needs this. I know I didn't appreciate her being here when she was younger, but no one should have to keep all those feelings she had locked up. That feeling she's letting out now is something that can only be brought out through bending."

The women continued the stare at the firebending prodigy. Almost as if they were trying to feel what the firebender was feeling.

"Morning Gran Gran. Whoa." Katara said as she saw Azula. "All that energy, it's so sad and deeply hurt."

"Everything she had felt up to this point is being released. Speaking of airbenders. I want to see that boy. I want to see if he really is an airbender." Kanna replied.

"Uh, sure. I'll go get him." Katara paused. "How long is she going to be like that?"

"Until she is ready to stop. Now go my little waterbender." Kanna continued to stare at the firebender until Aang was brought forth to her.

She felt rage as she remembered what the self-proclaimed Fire Lord did to her family. She felt sadness in not remembering her past. She felt loneliness when Mizuki and the Fire Nation crew left her at the Southern Water Tribe.

Every time she repeated the waterbending form, Azula felt a different emotion and different memories kept flowing in and out of her mind. Finally her thoughts came to her mother. Was she really remembering her? Or was she placing Kya in her mother's place with Fire Nation features?

Azula finished the form one last time taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it as the fire she had been bending gently dispersed into the air. Tears rolled out of her eyes with all the mix emotions she was feeling. She didn't know what to feel. Azula wiped the tears away.

When she looked back to the village she saw that the airbender, Aang, was gliding in the air. For whatever reason he had a big smile on his face, that was until he crashed into Sokka's watchtower.

"We've got a long way to go if he's going to be our Avatar."

"My watchtower!" Sokka gasped.

"That was amazing." Katara exclaimed as she helped Aang back on his feet.

Sokka started to examine the damage of his watchtower by the time Azula finally joined the rest of the village. Suddenly a huge bank of snow fell and buried Sokka.

"Great. You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender, and Azula's a firebender. Together you can just waste time all day long."

"Firebender? What's a firebender doing here in the South Pole?" Aang asked not aware that Azula had walked up behind him.

"I live here."

Aang jumped up into the air. When he finally landed he sheepishly bowed an apology to Azula. "Sorry."

"All right. No more playing. Come on, Katara, you have chores. Azula, you too." Gran Gran announced while guiding Katara away from Aang.

Azula stayed behind staring at Aang. "Um, is something the matter?" Aang asked.

"As a matter of fact." Azula grabbed hold of Aang and dragged him out to her training area. "Last night Katara asked you if you knew the Avatar. I want you to tell me exactly what you said."

She could already tell from the way Aang physically reacted to the question that he was trying to lie to her. "I didn't know him... I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't." Aang replied nervously. He was not appreciating the pressure Azula was starting to put on him.

"You're a terrible liar. Hold out your hands."

Aang did what he was told. Azula held her hand above his and carefully firebended a small ball of fire into Aang's hands. She removed her hand waiting to see what would happen.

Just as she predicted the fireball did not go out like it should have. "Aww, it's like a little heart beat." Aang unconsciously began playing with the ball of fire.

"How old are you?"

"I'm twelve." Aang began creating tricks with the fireball.

"You're a little young to be the Avatar. I thought they were supposed to tell you on your sixteenth birthday." Azula said casually.

"They said I needed to be told earlier to prevent a Fire Na- ack!" Aang dropped his hands losing the ball of fire realizing that he admitted to being the Avatar.

Azula narrowed her eyes and forcefully grabbed hold of Aang's shirt. "Where have you been the last hundred years? You were supposed to prevent the Fire Nation attack on the Air Nomads. If you had stopped the attack my family might still be alive! Do you have any idea how many lives have been affected by this war?"

"What are you talking about? I was only gone for a few days." Aang responded as he airbended his way out of Azula's grasp.

"You have until tonight to work up the courage to tell the entire village you're the Avatar or I will. You better have a good excuse for why you've been gone this long." Azula threatened as she shoved Aang into the snow before walking back to the village.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

By the time Azula had finished helping Kya make lunch and dinner she walked out of the igloo looking for Katara. She saw the waterbender walking over to Sokka and the other boys.

The smile she had on her face quickly faded when she saw Aang crawled out of the igloo bathroom stall.

"Wow! Everything freezes in there!" she heard Aang exclaimed. She couldn't understand how he can be so carefree and not taking the war seriously.

"Ugh! Katara, get him out of here. This lesson is for warriors only." Sokka shouted.

"Oh, so that means I can help you train them. Because it looks like you're failing to even control them, Sokka." Azula commented as she walked up to the Water Tribe siblings.

"No, you can't. This is a lesson for male warriors only!"

"Why you!" Azula grabbed hold of Sokka's anorak.

Sokka naturally grabbed hold of the firebender's anorak as a defense. The two warriors struggled to try and punch the other while preventing the one person from throwing a punch.

"Wheeee!" The two warriors overheard. Azula and Sokka stopped what they were doing to see kids sliding down Appa's back with the help of Aang.

"Argh!" Sokka shoved Azula away from him. "Stop! Stop it right now! What is wrong with you? We don't have time for fun and games with a war going on."

"What war?" Aang asked as he hopped down from Appa. "This is the second time I've heard this. First Azula, and now you."

"You're kidding right?" Sokka asked.

Just as Aang was about to respond something behind Sokka caught his eye. "PENGUIN!" Aang shouted as he used his airbending and sprinted after the penguin. Leaving the three Water Tribe teenagers with the young boys.

"He's kidding right?" Sokka asked again.

"No, he's not." Azula looked over at the boys seeing them still sliding down Appa's back. "Are you sure you don't need the only female warrior's help training those runts?

Sokka glared at his training partner. "Fine. You can help, but you're just assisting."

Azula smirked. She knew a few minutes into it she would be taking over for him.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"None of you are leaving until you finish doing ten squats, twenty sit ups, fifteen push ups, and thirty jumping jacks. You have to do all of those in that order!" Azula instructed to the young boys.

Every boy groaned. "Groan again and I'll make you repeat it. You're never going to be warriors if you don't have the strength. This is nothing compared to what Sokka and I went through at your age."

"Wow, you are tougher on them than I am." Sokka observed.

"That's the point. They weren't respecting you very well with all their excuses to use the restroom. I don't care how much they hate me, they'll thank me in the future." Azula looked up at the sky.

"You know we hadn't sparred each other in a while. How about after dinner we spar?"

"Heh, are you sure you want to be beaten by a girl again?"

"I've been letting you win!" Sokka defended.

"If you say so." Azula teased back.

Suddenly they heard a loud boom. Both Azula and Sokka look up towards the sky. They say a flare shooting up to its zenith and exploding to a small shower of sparks.

"What's going on out here?" Kya asked as she and Kanna exited the igloo.

They saw where Azula and Sokka were starring at and looked to the sky as well. "That flare had to have come from the abandoned ship." Kanna concluded.

"It's the airbender! He's signaling the Fire Nation. I knew he was bad news."

Azula's eyes narrowed. "That idiot. Wait, Sokka where's Katara?"

"She went to go find the traitor." Sokka growled.

"Katara, you better watch you back and get here quickly." Azula whispered to herself worried about the waterbender. "He had to have set that trap off. The Avatar is a fool."


	4. The Journey Begins

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 3: The Journey Begins**

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

**

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The whole village rushed just outside the village walls waiting for Katara and Aang to return. While the villagers waited, Sokka and Azula helped each other climb up one of the glaciers close to the village.

"Remember to look for a ship. They might not have their engines on so we can't depend on looking for smoke." Azula reminded Sokka.

"Got it."

"Spirits, I hope there aren't any Fire Nation ships near here. We're completely defenseless with all the men away in the Earth Kingdom."

"You know, it's a good thing I grew up with you. Otherwise I don't think I'd ever have been a friend with you. You know being born from the Fire Nation and all."

Azula smirked. "We can only imagine what would have happened to us if the Fire Lord didn't overthrow the one my family served under. Hey, Sokka, hand me the telescope."

Sokka tossed the telescope to the female warrior. Azula brought the scope up to her eye. She stared at the subject in the scope's sight trying to determine if it was a glacier or a ship. She saw an orange glow coming from the top of the object.

"Not good."

"What?"

"Look carefully at the direction I'm looking at now. It's very faint but I know that's a Fire Nation ship. I saw the glow of the flames coming from the smoke stack." Azula gently tossed the telescope behind her for Sokka to catch.

The male warrior caught it with ease and looked through the telescope, it took him a while but he too saw the ship. "I can't tell if they're coming towards us or if they had seen the flare."

"Let me see again." Azula got on her stomach to use the glacier help stabilize her arm. "No, I think they did see the flare and are moving slowly trying to get a surprise attack on us. At the pace they're going, they'll probably be here by night fall."

"And look who decided to show up." Sokka angrily.

Azula looked up from the telescope to see what Sokka was looking at. They saw Aang and Katara walking their way towards the village. Both warriors carefully slid down the glacier and ran to where everyone else was.

When they arrived the children were cheering. "Yay! Aang's back!"

Sokka stepped forward and pointed his finger at Aang. "I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

"Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident." Katara defended.

"Yeah, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and well-"

"You're an idiot for even stepping on that ship. Katara, what were you thinking stepping on that thing? You know we are forbidden to go on it!" Azula shouted.

"Don't blame Katara! I brought her there." Aang looked down not able to handle Azula's fiery glare. "It's my fault."

"The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy!" Sokka ordered. All the children whined as they walked away. "The foreigner is banned from our village!"

"We're not going to banish him Sokka." Azula argued.

"Why not?"

"Because Aang has something he would like to share with the rest of us. Don't you Aang." Azula glared at Aang.

"I'm sorry. I can't." Aang looked away from everyone.

"Get out of our village. Now!" Sokka shouted.

"Sokka, calm down." Kya suggested to her son.

"Grandmother, please, don't let Sokka do this." Katara begged.

"Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbender leaves." Kanna said gloomily.

"Then I'm banished too!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Azula asked.

"To find a waterbender! Aang is taking me to the North Pole!" Katara replied angrily towards the firebender.

"Katara!" The waterbender froze. She couldn't bear turning around to see her mother trying to stop her. "I know how much wanting to learn how to waterbend means to you, but would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family?"

Aang looked between Katara and the rest of the village. "Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family."

"How can you forget your duty to the world Avatar?" Azula shouted.

Everyone in the village fell silent. "Azula, what are you talking about?" Kya asked.

"He is the Avatar. Aang, the only airbender to have been seen in over a hundred years is the Avatar." Azula announced to the whole village.

"Now, listen carefully Avatar. That flare you set off caught the eyes of the Fire Navy. They think they have the element of surprise on their side. They're moving slowly through the ice so they wouldn't be spotted with all the smoke that could have come out of their smoke stack if they were going full speed. You, Sokka, Katara, and I are going to take care of that ship.

"The sooner we get the Fire Navy off our shores the better. We're completely defenseless we have to strike them. Avatar, I suggest you don't airbend when we ambush them." Azula instructed. "Sokka."

"I'm on it. Everyone please get back in the village. We'll try to handle this." Sokka started guiding most of the women and children back into the village.

Katara and Aang stood by Appa. Azula walked up to them. "Katara." The firebender reached out towards the waterbender.

"Don't touch me. Tell me though, how long have you known Aang was the Avatar?" Katara asked.

"Since this morning. I gave him most of the day to tell everyone." Azula glared at Aang again. "Look we can deal with this later. Right now we need to ambush the Fire Nation ship."

"This doesn't make sense. I've accepted the fact that I've been in the iceberg for over a hundred years, but why would the Fire Nation be attacking the other nations? Why would you a member of the Fire Nation, come to live in the Southern Water Tribe?" Aang asked.

"I don't know why the Fire Nation started attacking the other nations, but they have wiped out all the Air Nomads. You're the first to be seen in a hundred years, which is why I suggested you don't airbend when we ambush the ship. The last thing we need is for the Fire Nation to come after us." Azula explained.

"Also, even though I am of Fire Nation birth, I haven't been a member of the Fire Nation for a very long time. The Southern Water Tribe is my home."

"Alright ready to go?" Sokka asked. The tension between the three benders tightened. "Okay… let's go."

"Aang, can Appa fly?" Katara asked as she climbed up the sky bison's back.

"Don't." Azula quickly replied. "We can't fly, it'll give us away before we get any where close to the ship. The Fire Navy will be looking towards the sky and land close to the village."

Katara grumbled. "Fine, whatever."

"Okay, I'll listen to what you think will be best, Azula." Aang said as he grabbed the reins.

"How fast can Appa walk?" Azula asked.

"Not very fast."

"Argh. That's not good. We shouldn't be in the water also. Think Appa can hover above the ground, but be as close to the ground as he possibly can?" Azula asked while becoming impatient.

"Let's see. Appa, yip yip!"

Appa groaned a little and started walking the direction the Fire Nation ship was coming from. Azula's eye twitched in annoyance.

It took a couple of hours before the teens and Appa met up with the Fire Nation ship.

"Aang. Put this anorak on. We need to hide you tattoos." Azula ordered.

"So what's the plan?" Aang asked as he put the anorak on.

"We simply ambush them and watch each others' back." Azula said as she tossed a grappling hook up towards the edge of the ship. It hooked right on the first try. She tugged it to make sure it was going to with stand the weight of four teenagers.

Once she was positive that it was going to stay, Azula began climbing up the side of the ship. Aang followed right behind, then Katara, and Sokka was last. Azula looked over the edge of the ship to make sure there weren't any soldiers patrolling the area. She could hear her heart beating in her eardrums.

Azula ducked below the rim when she heard footsteps walking by. The firebender pressed her ear up against the metal waiting for the soldier to walk far enough she could jump him from behind. Just as she was about to jump she quickly ducked again for another soldier can walking by.

"You remember how I told you not to airbend?" Azula whispered.

"Yeah…"

"Forget I said that. We need to take them out now!" Azula jumped from the edge and tackled the closets soldier near her.

Back up came running to aid the fallen soldier. Azula unsheathed her swords and got into a fighting position prepared to fight them. She stayed where she was as the soldiers charged towards her. Aang jumped from the edge of the ship and airbended an airblast towards a group of soldiers.

Soon enough both Sokka and Katara were fighting all the soldiers and firebenders who were attacking them. Just as a fire blast was about to hit Katara in the face it was deflected. Azula had barely made it in placing her swords in front of Katara to protect her. The firebender smoothly circled around the waterbender and started attacking the firebending soldiers.

One soldier was knocked into a barrel where water fell out. Katara took a deep breath. She shifted her wait back and lifted some water up and aimed towards the soldiers who were attacking Azula. The waterbender threw her arms forward hoping for the water to freeze on the soldiers, but realized she accidentally bended the water backwards and froze Sokka's feet.

"Katara!"

Azula quickly knocked out the soldiers and ran over towards Sokka who was busy trying to get himself out of the ice.

"I'm just a guy with a boomerang; I didn't ask for all this magic."

"Oh, shut up!" Azula shouted as she fired a small fireball towards the ice. The ice quickly melted and Sokka was free. "C'mon we need to get out of here!"

The four teenagers ran to the bowsprit of the ship. Aang looked down and saw Appa getting ready to catch them.

"You have nowhere else to go!" shouted one of the soldiers.

"Sure we do. Jump!" Sokka shouted as all four of them jumped off the ship and onto Appa's saddle.

"Appa don't fail us now buddy, yip yip!" Aang yelled desperately. Appa groaned as he began to speed up. Before they knew it they were in the air flying as fast as they could away from the Fire Nation ship.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The sun was beginning to rise when the four teens finally arrived back in the village. They had to fly as far away from the naval ship to trick them into thinking they flew further north. They hid behind a big glacier until the ship went out of sight and they slowly backtracked towards the village.

"Thank goodness!" Kya ran up to the four teens and hugged two at a time. "When you didn't come back last I night I thought they had captured you."

"We're fine mom. We just need some for and sleep." Sokka said as they walked back into the igloo.

Azula walked pass the fireplace and collapsed onto her sleeping bag. She had a headache that was only growing stronger with the light. She pulled her hood over her face to block out the sun's light and tried to fall asleep.

Just as she was about to fall asleep she felt someone squeeze her hand. "Thanks Azula. For last night when you blocked the fire blast from hitting me." Katara said as she lay on top of her sleeping bag.

She smiled when she felt Azula squeezed back.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The next day Aang began packing again. "Just think buddy, we haven't been home in over a hundred years. Wow, I hadn't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that."

Appa groaned agreeing with Aang.

"Aang."

Aang looked over hoping it was Katara, but jumped when he saw Azula.

"Don't worry. I'm not here to fight you. I just came to apologize for the way I acted yesterday."

"It's alright."

"No, it wasn't. I held in so much anger for so long I just blew it off on you. The Fire Nation killed my family nine years ago. A group of Imperial Firebenders who were still loyal to the previous Fire Lord saved me and brought me here to the Southern Water Tribe." Azula explained.

"That would explain why you're living here. But, you're from the Fire Nation as well. Why would the Fire Nation attack their own people?" Aang asked.

Azula climbed on top of Appa's head so she didn't feel like she was being looked down upon. "I don't remember the details. I know Kya and Gran Gran do, but they won't tell me. They want me to try and remember what happened. All I know is that my family was loyal to the previous Fire Lord. I lost my father, grandfather, and my cousin. For all I know I lost the rest of my family too."

"I'm sorry. May be you're right. If I didn't disappear I probably could have stopped the Fire Nation from attacking the Air Nomads, and possibly you're family would still be alive."

The firebender took a deep breath trying to calm herself. "We'll never know. But I do know you seem familiar to me. As if I've known you before yesterday. That's impossible though."

"Spiritual connection?"

Both of them just shrugged their shoulders.

"Aang! Azula!" Katara waved as she came running towards them. "Aang, you're the Avatar, right? So, I've wondering why haven't you bent the other elements yet?"

"That's because I was frozen before I was taught how to bend the other elements. I never wanted to be the Avatar."

"But Aang, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war." Katara explained.

"And how am I going to do that?"

"According to legend, you need to master water, then earth, and then fire." Azula pointed out.

"That's what the monks told me."

Katara smiled. "Well, if we go to the North Pole you can master waterbending."

That brought a smile to Aang's face. "We can learn it together! Azula, you and I can learn firebending together after I learn earthbending!"

"Then we're in this together." Katara said proudly.

"And what are you three just going to leave me behind?" Sokka asked.

"No, because I'm pretty sure we'll be running into more Fire Nation soldiers. I'm sure you'll enjoy knocking their heads on our way to the Northern Water Tribe." Azula suggested.

"I'd like that. I'd really like that." Sokka responded somewhat dreamily.

"What do you three think you're doing?"

Azula, Katara, and Sokka all turned around to face Kanna and Kya trying to look innocent. Kanna and Kya just smiled.

"You'll need these." Kya said as she handed three bundles of sleeping bags to the three Water Tribe teens. "You have a long journey ahead of you."

"It's been so long since I've had hope. My little waterbender, you brought that hope back. Aang is the Avatar. He's the world's only chance. You're destinies are to help him become a fully realized Avatar." Kanna gave Katara a tight hug.

"Sokka, take care of your sister." Kya said as she hugged her son.

"Yeah… okay, mom."

"Azula, may I have a word with you?" Kanna asked.

The firebender looked at Kya before walking off with Kanna.

"Azula, as you know when you first arrived here in the Southern Water Tribe, I had my doubts that you would not turn out like the other Fire Nation soldiers. I started to accept having you here after you helped Tsukihiro with his ice dodging ritual, but yesterday showed me where your loyalty lies. I know you're heart is in the right place. The Southern Water Tribe will always be your home." Kanna gave Azula a warm smile.

"Thank you, Gran Gran." Azula bowed before hugging Kanna.

Kya opened her arms and walked towards Azula to hug the firebender. "Take care my little firebender. I'll miss you just as much as I miss Sokka and Katara. Watch over my waterbender for me."

"I will Kya." Azula released the hug and climbed up into Appa's saddle.

"Safe travel for all of you. Please, visit if you somehow end up near here." Kya calmly suggested.

"Appa, yip yip."

"Bye mom. Bye Gran Gran." Katara shouted as they started flying away.

When the village was out of sight Katara turned her attention back to the center of the saddle where everyone was staring at a map that Aang had laid out.

"What's the map for?" Katara asked.

"We need to take care of some serious business before I start learning how to waterbend. We need to go here, here, and here." Aang had pointed to three different locations on the map.

"What are we going to be doing there?" Azula asked.

"Here we'll ride the hopping llamas. Then waaaay over here we'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish. Then back over here we'll ride the hog-monkeys. They don't like people riding them, but that's what makes it fun!" Aang explained ecstatically.

Azula leaned over the saddle only half paying attention to what Aang was saying. "It's going to be a while before we see the Northern Water Tribe, isn't it?" She rhetorically asked.

Katara smiled and leaned onto Azula while hugging the firebender from behind. "Oh, c'mon, lighten up. It won't hurt having fun for a while now would it?"

"Those things Aang wants to do are fun until someone, most likely Sokka, gets hurt."

The waterbender just continued holding onto Azula and smile. Both girls were content with the others company thinking about what is in store for them.

"So what would you do for fun if you don't like Aang's ideas?" Katara asked.

"Fulfilling my promise I made you two years ago. I need to teach you how to fight without bending so you can kick Sokka's butt." Azula said with pride.

"Finally we also need to go to Omashu. They have these delivery chutes that are actually the world's largest roller coasters!" Aang said happily while remembering the many times he and his friend Bumi had created trouble from riding down the delivery chutes.

"Though, as much fun as it would be to teach you how to fight. That delivery chute sounds really fun." Azula told Katara while briefly looking over at Aang.

Katara couldn't help but laugh. "What else is on your mind?"

"How fluffy Appa is."

"I know you're weak spot, Azula." Katara said while hugging the firebender tighter.

"I don't have a weak spot."

"Yes, you do. You have a weak spot for fluffy animals. May be I should just call you 'Fluffy' from now on."

"Please… don't." Azula begged as Katara laid her head on the firebender's shoulder.

The waterbender leaned in towards Azula's ear. "You're secret is safe with me."

Azula couldn't help but blush.


	5. The Southern Air Temple

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 4: The Southern Air Temple**

**Note: **This chapter does a lot of quoting from the episode but also has some changes to fit with the fact Azula is with them. More chapters will be like this to fit the story.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

**

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She felt a hand placed on her shoulder to wake her up. Azula being barely awake looked to see who was waking her up.

"Mom?"

"Azula, sweetie, wake up." Ursa urged her daughter.

"Mom, what's going on?"

"Sweetie, I don't have time to explain. We need to get out of here." Ursa lifted her daughter out of bed. There was smoke starting to seep into the bedroom.

"Mom."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Mom. Mom." Azula mumbled as she tossed and turned in her sleep. "Mom, what's happening? Mom!" Azula woke with a start.

The firebender slowly breathed in and out trying to control her breathing. It took her a while to realize that there was weight on her chest. Heat rose to her cheeks as Katara snuggled even more onto Azula.

"Out of all the days, why did one of the worst dreams I ever had to happen while she was doing this?" Azula quietly asked herself as she slowly peeled the waterbender off of her.

The sun was starting to rise as Azula walked over to the small lakeshore. She took a deep breath before producing a small fireball. Azula concentrated on her firebending as she started through the waterbending form Kanna taught her. As she stepped out to raise her arms slightly above her head and back down a small firewall was made.

Azula heard water splashed unnaturally and was being bended at the corner of her eye. The firebender smirked when Katara began following the steps Azula was doing.

Katara lost control of the water a few times before she began to lose her temper. "Oh, shoot. Argh, why can't I bend the water properly?"

"You need to bend your wrists more." Azula walked up behind Katara and placed her hands over the waterbender's. "You've been watching me firebend too much and are trying to force the water to move. Keep in mind how water moves, it flows wherever it wants. Feel the water Katara. Water is part of you just like fire is part of me, I would never be able to control it if I didn't feel the fire."

Both benders shifted their weights back and forth. Moving in a push and pull motion. At some point Katara had bended water out of the lake and bent it to the push and pull motion.

"You're a good teacher Azula." Katara commented. "I could never be as good as you. You're a prodigy."

"Just wait until we get to the North Pole and find you a master. I'm sure you'll be the best student there is. You never had a teacher. My uncle taught me a few basic lessons before I lived in the Southern Water Tribe." Azula let go of Katara's hands and backed away.

"See you got it Katara! We'll slowly work through that form Gran Gran taught me. We might also need to work at night." Azula suggested.

"That would be great! Thanks Azula!" Katara dropped the water and hugged the firebender tightly.

"Morning!" Aang shouted as he jumped off of Appa!

Azula and Katara separated to greet Aang. "Today is the day will reach the Southern Air Temple! Can we please pack quickly? I really want to see my home as soon as possible!"

The three of them began packing their campsite for their trip to the Southern Air Temple.

"Wait 'till you see it, Katara. The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world." Aang said excitedly while adjusting the reins on Appa's horns.

"Aang, I know you're excited, but it's been a hundred years you've been home." Katara told the airbender cautiously.

"That's why I'm so excited!"

"What Katara is trying to say is that a lot can change during the last hundred years." Azula explained.

"I know, but I need to see it for myself."

Katara and Azula looked at each other afraid of what Aang would do when he found out.

"Well, better wake up Sokka!" Aang hopped off of Appa. "Wake up, Sokka! Air Temple here we come!"

Sokka woke up just long enough to make groggy sounds towards Aang before rolling back over. "Sleep now… temple later…" he mumbled. The warrior rolled back over and began snoring again.

"Watch and learn Aang. The key to waking Sokka up that does not involve bending." Azula picked up a stick.

She took a deep breath before shouting, "Sokka! Wake up! There's a prickle snake in your sleeping bag!" She ran the stick up and down Sokka's sleeping bag.

The warrior's eyes shot open jumped around his sleeping bag screaming. "Aaahh! Get it off! Get it off! Aaahhh! Oof!" Sokka tripped and fell on his face.

When he looked up he saw Aang and Katara laughing at him, and Azula had a mischievous look on her face as she tossed the stick that was in her hand. He growled at the firebender.

"Great! You're awake. Let's go." Azula grabbed Sokka from his sleeping bag and easily lifted him up.

"Why do you have the need to wake me up that way?" he asked as he tossed his sleeping bag up to his sister.

"It's the only way to wake you up. Unless you want Katara to splash you with more water, I'm sure she'll happily oblige."

Sokka just grumbled and climbed on top of Appa.

"Okay, everybody ready?" Aang asked while looking back onto the saddle. Once he saw Azula take her seat in the saddle he turned back facing the horizon. "Alright Appa, yip yip!"

Appa grunted and lifted off the ground flying north.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

About a few hours later, Sokka began looking in his stuff for food. It was quiet until everyone heard Sokka's stomach growl loudly.

"Hey, stomach, be quiet, all right? I'm trying to find us some food." He said annoyingly to his stomach. He found his food bag feeling how light it was he dumped all the contents out only to have a few crumbs come out. "Hey! Who ate all my blubbered seal jearky?"

"Don't look at me. I learned quickly when we were younger not to touch your food." Azula defended as she held her hands up.

"That was food? I used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry." Aang apologized.

"You WHAT?" Sokka screamed.

"Oh, no wonder the flames smelled so good." Azula thought out loud.

"Hey, you guys look! There's the Patola Mountain Range! We're almost there!" Aang shouted excitedly.

"Aang?" Katara said uneasily. "Before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the airbenders."

"Katara, I know you and Azula keep telling me the Fire Nation wiped them out a hundred years ago. But I seriously think they escaped, stayed in hiding for a while, and returned when they knew they were safe from the Fire Nation. Besides they only way to get to an airbender temple is on a flying bison, and I doubt the Fire Nation has any flying bison. Right, Appa?"

Appa grunted in agreement as Aang rubbed his head.

"We're almost there! Appa, yip yip!"

The sky bison began to fly them higher and higher. Azula, Katara, and Sokka grabbed hold of the saddle to be prevented from being blown off from the wind. Appa flew over a rocky outcropping and treetops to reveal the amazing sighting of the Southern Air Temple.

"There it is! The Southern Air Temple."

"Whoa!" Sokka and Azula awed.

"Aang, it's amazing!" Katara complimented.

Aang smiled widely. "We're home, buddy. We're home." He said, loud enough for just Appa to hear.

Appa landed on a large landing platform that had a path leading up to the temple. Before any of the Water Tribe teens could get down, Aang jumped off of Appa's head and started running up the path.

Azula, Sokka, and Katara kept walking behind Aang as they looked around the temple. Azula observed seeing a lot of burn marks and scratches on some of the temple's stone. She didn't know why but she had a twisted feeling of sadness and pride seeing the damages on the temple.

"So where do I get something to eat?" Sokka asked while he clutched his stomach illustrating his hunger.

"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an airbender temple and all you can think about is food?"

"Hey, I'm just a simple guy with simple needs." Sokka brushed off.

By the time the caught up to Aang, the airbender was standing at the edge of the path looking below.

"That's where my friends and I would play airball. And… over there would be where the bison would sleep… and…" Aang trailed off on his tour.

"What's wrong?" Azula asked.

"This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds. I can't believe how much things have changed." Aang looked lost as he stared out of what used to be a lively home.

The three Water Tribe teens looked at each other.

Sokka stepped forward closer to Aang. "So, uh, this airball game? How do you play?"

Aang gave a big smile.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"OOF!"

Azula winced when Sokka hit the ground hard for the seventh time.

"Hahaha! Aang seven, Sokka zero! Alright, Azula your turn!"

The firebender climbed her way to the top of the pillars to the airball field. She got in a ready position as Aang dropped kick the airball sending it high into the air. When the ball dropped to where Aang wanted he kicked the ball with a roundhouse kick sending if soaring towards Azula faster than the previous kick. Azula's eyes were flying left to right quickly following the balls movements. She jumped and turning three hundred and sixty degrees and made contact with the ball. Her footing was off when she landed on one of the pillars and began falling to the ground.

She just barely caught hold of two of the pillars and landed in a down push-up position.

"Wow, good job Azula. You're the first non-airebender to score a goal!" Aang cheered.

"Great." Azula mumbled as she slowly climbed her way down.

"Aang, there's something you need to see." Katara called out.

"Okay!" Aang easily jumped off the airball field and went running to Katara and Sokka.

By the time Azula got down, Sokka was covered in a heap of snow that Katara had waterbender on him. Before the snow covered her she saw the Fire Nation helmet. Katara came up with a quick mediocre lie. Azula wasn't too surprised that Aang was gullible enough to fall for the lie.

"You know you can't protect him forever." Azula warned Katara as she pulled her anorak back on.

"Katara, firebenders were here. You can't pretend they weren't." Sokka argued.

"I can for Aang's sake." Katara retorted as she walked away from them.

Azula quickly grabbed her swords and ran to catch up with the waterbender. "Katara, he's in denial. I flat out told him they wiped out the Air Nomads, but he just won't accept it. He needs to get it through his head that he is the last airbender. The other airbenders did not survive."

"Hey guys!" Aang broke up Azula and Katara's argument. "I want you to meet somebody."

"Who's that?" Sokka asked.

"Monk Gyatso, the greatest airbender in the world. He taught me everything I know." Aang introduced the statue of his mentor to his friends before bowing.

After a while Katara walked up to Aang and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You must miss him."

"Yeah." He said dryly. "Um, what's wrong with Azula?"

Azula had a puzzling look on her face as she stared at Monk Gyatso's statue. She couldn't explain it but she felt some sort of bond with the statue.

"Azula?" Katara slightly shook the firebender.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Azula shook her head a little.

"Is something wrong?" Katara asked.

"No. But this is going to sound a little strange. I know I wasn't born over a hundred years ago like Aang, yet I feel something very familiar about Monk Gyatso."

"May be you have some spiritual connection with him!" Aang assumed proudly.

The firebender just shrugged. "And where are you going?" She asked noticing Aang was walking deeper into the temple.

Aang continued climbing the steps. "The Air Temple Sanctuary. There's someone I'm ready to meet."

Azula, Sokka, and Katara followed Aang deeper into the temple until they came across a huge wooden door. The door contained three enormous woodcut air symbols arranged in a triangular pattern with horns at the bottom. There were several tubes attached to the woodcut.

"But Aang… no one could have survived in there for a hundred years." Katara objected.

"It's not impossible. I survived in the iceberg for that long."

"Good point."

"Frozen in an iceberg is different than staying in one room for a hundred years." Azula whispered to Sokka.

"… Whoever's in there might help me figure out this Avatar thing!"

Sokka suddenly rushed over to Aang. "And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious, cured meats!" He rushed up to the door and slammed into it. The warrior strained against the door hoping for it to budge to no avail and slid down in defeat. "I don't suppose you have a key?"

"The key, Sokka, is airbending."

Aang took a deep breath as he raised both of his arms. He forcefully pushed forward with his arms and stepped forward airbending two jets of air into the horns at the bottom of the woodcut. Air ran through the tubes flipping the air symbols one by one. Once all the locks had turned over the doors opened to reveal the darkness of the Air Temple Sanctuary.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Aang called.

Everyone walked into the sanctuary to come into the presence of many statures arranged in a specific pattern. The pattern of the statures her formed in a swirling line wrapping around the room rising higher and higher.

"Statues!" That's it? Where's the meat?"

"Who are all these people?" Katara asked looking at many of the statues.

"You're joking right?" Azula asked in disbelief.

"Should I be?" Katara asked back to the firebender.

"All these statues are obviously Aang's past lives. They're past Avatars." Azula looked up seeing the spiral going higher than she originally thought. She took a deep breath and shot a fire stream up towards the ceiling making sure not to hit any of the statues.

They all hung their mouths. There didn't seem to be an end to the spiral of Avatar statues and Azula's fire was nowhere near the ceiling. "Wow! There's so many!" Aang awed.

"Agni! There are easily over fifty thousand of years worth of Avatars lives." Azula responded in amazement as she distinguished her stream of fire.

"C'mon you guys can't be serious about all these past lives right?" Sokka asked skeptically.

Azula and Aang walked up to the most recent installed Avatar statue, as Katara was busy arguing with Sokka. The Avatar they were staring at was a firebender. They stared at his eyes being hypnotized by them as if he was trying to tell them something. Azula raised her eyebrows slightly when she saw a glint of light pass the Avatar's eyes.

Katara walked up behind them and placed a hand on their shoulder. "Aang, Azula, snap out of it!"

"Huh?" They both snapped out of their daze.

"Who's that?" Katara asked.

The firebender responded first. "That's Avatar Roku."

"The Avatar before me." Aang continued off of Azula.

Both Sokka and Katara looked at the two awkwardly. "You were a firebender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met."

Azula glared at Sokka and smacked Sokka's stomach with the back of her fist hard enough that he doubled over.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!" Sokka screamed as Azula rolled her eyes at him.

"There's no writing. How do you two know his name?" Katara wondered.

Aang and Azula quickly looked at each other to see if they had the answer. "I don't think even we know." Aang responded.

Sokka growled, "You two couldn't get any weirder."

Suddenly all three of them sensed a presence of another living being at the entrance. They quickly hid behind two of the statues closets to the doors. Aang and Sokka were behind one while Azula and Katara hid behind the other.

"Firebender. Nobody make a sound." Sokka whispered.

"You're making a so-mmpf!" Azula placed her hand over Katara's mouth to silence the waterbender quickly. With her other hand Azula put a finger up to her lips telling Katara to stay quiet.

Azula looked over at Sokka making sure she had his attention. The nodded at each other understanding they were on the same page. Azula held three fingers out and counted down to one. When she got to zero both Sokka and Azula jumped out from their hiding places ready to strike the Firebender. They both froze. Instead of seeing a Fire Nation soldier they saw a small creature.

Aang looked out from his hiding spot when he didn't see the two warriors attack.

"Lemur!" the airbender shouted.

"Dinner…" Sokka drooled.

"Don't listen to him! You're going to be my new pet." Aang leaped out from the statue and began running towards the lemur.

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka challenged also running towards the lemur.

The lemur screeched and ran out of the sanctuary with the two boys after it. Katara and Azula could both hear they shouting down the hall.

"Wait! Come back!" Aang called out.

Just when they thought they heard the last of them they heard Sokka shout, "I wanna eat you!"

"I hope Aang gets a hold of that lemur. It'd be a waste if Sokka ate that small fluffy animal, that animal was kind of cute."

Azula blushed when she heard Katara laugh. "The fluffiness strikes again. Careful Azula it just might be the end of you." The waterbender playfully warned.

"That will be a terrible way to die. Death by Overdose of Fluffiness." Azula responded also playfully.

Katara giggled. "All jokes aside. How did you know Avatar Roku's name?"

"I really don't know. I had the same feeling I did with Monk Gyatso's statue, but Avatar Roku the feeling is stronger. I feel a closer connection to Avatar Roku than I do with Monk Gyatso." Azula stared up into Avatar Roku's statue's eyes again.

"I can't help but feel as if Avatar Roku has something to do with my past. Instead of answers, I'm getting more questions." Azula felt Katara squeeze her hand. They stayed silent trying to feel the presence of the past Avatars.

They both jumped when they saw Avatar Roku's eyes light up followed by all the other Avatar's eyes in order from Avatar Roku in succession. Both girls stared at the eyes until they realized what was happening.

"Aang!"

The two benders ran out of the sanctuary towards the courtyard. Katara was blown back by the gust of wind. Azula caught the waterbender and helped push forward.

"Over there!" Azula pointed towards the courtyard that used to have decayed tents set up.

Both girls quickly, but carefully worked their way down to the courtyard. When they made it to the courtyard Aang was in a wind sphere that was getting stronger and stronger. Katara was knocked back only to be caught by Azula until the got behind some rubble. A windblast into their faces causing them to shield their faces.

"What happened?" Katara asked.

"He found out firebenders killed Gyatso." Sokka shouted back.

"I knew this was going to happen. He got wrapped up in his denial that when reality hit him is Avatar spirit was triggered. We need to calm him down!" Azula shouted over the wind.

"Well, do it before he blows us off the mountain!" Sokka shouted as he was thrown back into the rubble where Katara and Azula were.

Azula looked up towards Aang. She closed her eyes remembering how she felt when she lost her family, when Lu Ten was murdered in front of her.

"Aang, I know you're upset… and I know how painful and lonely it is to lose the people you love. I felt the same thing when I lost my family. When I lost my cousin." Azula grabbed hold of the rubble so she wasn't blown away.

"Monk Gyatso and the other airbender may be gone, but you still have a family." Katara shouted, continuing for Azula. "Sokka, Azula, and I, we're your family now."

As Katara finished the statement Aang began to descend to the ground again with the winds blowing lighter and lighter. When Aang's feet finally touched the ground the wind died completely. He's tattoos and eyes were still glowing when his new family walked up to him.

"We aren't going to let anything happen to you. Promise." Sokka said softly.

Katara took one of Aang's hands into her own. The glowing of his tattoos and eyes instantly faded. The Water Tribe teens' hearts dropped when they saw how grief-stricken and exhausted Aang was as he collapsed into Katara's arms.

"I'm sorry." Aang apologized tiredly.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

"Azula was right. If the firebenders found this temple that means they found the other ones, too. I really am the last airbender."

The waterbender hugged him tightly as Sokka place a hand on Aang's shoulder and Azula gently squeezed his arm.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

They all walked back to the Air Sanctuary Temple so Aang could figure out a way to talk to Avatar Roku. He stood in front of the statue for about an hour until Azula placed a hand on his shoulder.

"How is Roku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?" Aang asked.

"You'll find a way. Remember you've done this many times before." Azula looked back up at the other statues that couldn't be seen from where they were. Aang also looked up to feel his past lives.

"Okay, everything is packed." Katara announced. "Ready to go?"

The three of them turned to see the familiar flying lemur in the doorway of the sanctuary. The lemur had an arm full of fruits. He hopped over to Sokka and deposited them at his feet before dashing away from the boy.

"Looks like you made a new friend, Sokka." Aang said happily.

"Can't talk. Must eat." Sokka kept stuffing food into his mouth.

The lemur scurried up Aang and perched himself on the airbender's shoulder. "Hey little guy."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula was up in the saddle grabbing the stuff Katara was handing to her. She looked over at Aang to see him talk to Appa and the lemur.

"It must be hard for them." Observed Katara. "They're the last of their kind."

"Yeah…"

"Katara, Azula, Sokka, say hello to the newest member of our family." Aang approached them with the lemur on his arm.

"What are you going to name him?" Azula asked as she jumped off of Appa.

The lemur jumped off of Aang's arm and grabbed the peach Sokka was about to bite into. Instead of returning to Aang's arm, the lemur perched himself on Azula's shoulder.

Aang smiled. "Momo. His name is Momo. Uh, Azula are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just enjoying Momo's fluffiness."


	6. The Warriors of Kyoshi

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 5: The Warriors of Kyoshi**

**Note: **It took me longer to work on this chapter because I've been sick with the cold when writing it. Lots of headaches, nose running, etc. But I kept pressing on to finish it.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

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"What was that thing?" Katara asked while Aang started putting his clothes back on.

"I don't know."

"Well, let's not stick around and find out. Time to hit the road." Sokka ordered

Suddenly five green clad warriors appeared all grabbing them and covering their eyes before they had a chance to see who was attacking them. It wasn't long before all of them were bound and blindfolded.

"Or we could stay a while…" Sokka suggested in defeat.

Azula and the others were guided through a path. She was tempted to use her firebending to get out of this mess but decided against it since they were on an Earth Kingdom island. Suddenly she felt something slammed into the back of her knees forcing to kneel on the ground still being held down by someone as well.

"You four have some explaining to do." A man said forcefully.

"And if you don't answer all our questions, we're throwing you back in the water to the unagi." A woman threatened.

Sokka was angry. "Show yourselves, cowards!" He shouted.

The darkness of the blindfold was removed causing the sudden sunlight to blind Azula. She quickly closed her eyes and slowly opened them as they adjusted to the light. When she finally opened them fully she saw four women dressed in green with white face paint and red over their eyes staring at her friends. Azula looked behind her to see one of the females in the same garb as the other four was holding her down.

The male warrior began straining against his binds. "Who are you? Where are the men who ambushed us?"

One of the girls stepped forward shaking her fist at the boy. "There were no men. We ambushed you. Now tell us, who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Wait a second, there's no way that a bunch of girls took us down." Sokka laughed in disbelief.

The girl who was shaking her fist, who Azula assumed was the leader of the group of girls in green, grabbed hold of Sokka's collar. "A bunch of girls, huh? The unagi's gonna eat well tonight."

"No, don't hurt him!" Katara responded quickly. "He didn't mean it! My brother is just an idiot sometimes."

"Most of the time." Azula mumbled to herself. Causing the female who was holding her down to chuckle.

"It's my fault. I'm sorry we came here." Aang apologized. "I wanted to ride the elephant koi."

The old man pointed accusingly towards Aang. "That's hard to believe. You're obviously Fire Nation spies." The female warrior who was holding Azula down jerked the firebender to her feet. "How stupid do you think we are? This girl is obviously from the Fire Nation.

"The gold eyes and pale skin." The old man was now staring at Azula. "Kyoshi stayed out of the war so far. And we intend to keep it that way."

"This island is named for Kyoshi? I know Kyoshi!" Aang exclaimed.

"Ha! How could you possibly know her?" The old man asked. "Avatar Kyoshi was born here four hundred years ago. She's been dead for centuries."

Aang looked down at the ground quickly thinking of his response and then looked at the old man. "I know her because I'm the Avatar."

All the warriors and the old man looked at Aang in shock.

"That's impossible!" The warrior leader retorted while shaking her fist at Aang. "The last Avatar was an airbender who disappeared a hundred years ago."

"That's me!"

The old man was irritated. "Throw the imposter to the unagi! And take the Fire Nation spy away for interrogation!"

Each of the warriors took a fighting stance while pulling out two fans each. The warrior who was holding Azula began pushing the firebender away from the group.

"Aang… do some airbending." Both Katara and Azula told the airbender.

The female warriors kept approaching the pole as Azula continued being pushed away. Aang easily broke out of his bonds shooting himself into the air, he backflipped over the statue of Avatar Kyoshi and gracefully landed on the ground receiving a bunch of "oohs" and "ahhs" from the villagers. The warriors stood in awe.

"It's true… you are the Avatar!" The man said in amazement.

"Please, I promise you that Azula is not a Fire Nation spy. I'll vouch for her." Aang defended.

The old man looked at Azula who was standing as if she wasn't tied up. "But she is a firebender correct?"

"Yes, I am. I'm not going to hide that fact, but I grew up in the Southern Water Tribe with Sokka and Katara." Azula explained. "Please believe us."

"Alright if the Avatar believes you are not a spy, we'll take his word. We really sorry for the inconvenience." The old man raised his hand.

The warriors immediately cut the rope that was binding the teens. The old man walked up to the group. "I'm Oyaji, the chief of Kyoshi Island."

"I'm Aang."

"Hello, my name is Katara."

"Azula. The grump here is Sokka." Azula introduced herself and her training partner.

Oyaji turned towards one of the female warriors. "Suki please show our honorary guests to the big house."

The girl who was questioning them earlier stepped forward shyly. Before gesturing them to follow her up the hill. "I'm really sorry about earlier. We're just protecting ourselves and the other villagers."

"It's completely understandable." Azula brushed off. "Though I think we may encounter more incidents like this in the future. So what are you and the other girls dressed in green supposed to be? Obviously you look a lot like Avatar Kyoshi did."

Katara walked behind Azula and Suki observing how the two female warriors easily started a conversation with each other. She hoped things would be like this wherever they go on their journey to the Northern Water Tribe.

"We're the Kyoshi Warriors. I know the name is very plain. But, we're honoring Avatar Kyoshi by being the warriors and the guardians of her island." Suki explained.

"Hey, the name doesn't sound to plain. Like you said it's to honor Avatar Kyoshi. Are you and the girls earthbenders, since Avatar Kyoshi was a bender?" Azula asked.

"No, no one in the village knows how to bend earth. Though we do implement the bending art motions into our fighting styles."

"That's cool. I'm surprised I never thought of using the bending forms for actual combat without bending. Katara, you and I should add that to your training session!" Azula looked back at the waterbender.

The waterbender smiled seeing how enthused the firebender was at teaching her to fight. They got a quick tour of the house before crashing for the night.

"Oh, Azula." Suki called to the firebender. Azula stepped out the bedroom she'd be sharing with Katara.

"Yes?"

"If you want you can train with the other warriors and I. Normally we don't teach outsiders, but we'll make an exception." Suki offered.

Azula was stunned for a while. "Yes! That would be great. When do you guys start training tomorrow?"

"A two hours after sun rise. See you tomorrow."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Are you sure the information is accurate?"

"Yes sir. The Avatar has been spotted at Kyoshi Island."

"Good. Get the ship ready. Fire Lord Akuzo has granted him the mission of capturing the Avatar."

"Right away. Commander Zhao."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Like everyday Azula got up before anyone else and went to a place outside the village to practice her firebending along with the waterbending form. When she was walking back to the village she saw a couple of men starting to work on restoring the statue of Avatar Kyoshi.

As she passed the statue she stared at it getting the same strange feeling she had been getting since she met Aang. "Not another possible spiritual connection. What is going on?" She asked rhetorically.

When she entered the living room of the house she saw Katara and Aang sitting at the table and Sokka sitting off to the side. One of the villagers had just finished setting the food out.

"All right! Dessert for breakfast!" Aang cheered. "These people surely know how to treat an Avatar!"

He eagerly grabbed one of the pastries from the tray and took a big bite. "Mmm… Katara you've got to try these!" Aang handed the pastry he had just bitten out of to Katara.

"Well, maybe just a bite…" She took the pastry from the airbender's hand and tore of the part that Aang hadn't bitten into and ate it.

Aang looked over at Sokka. "Sokka, what's your problem? Eat!"

"Not hungry."

"But you're always hungry!" Aang argued.

Azula shook her head as she sat down next to Katara. "He's just upset that a bunch of girls kicked his butt yesterday."

"They snuck up on me!" Sokka retorted.

"Right. And then they kicked your butt. Azula, say 'Ah'." Katara said while the firebender was distracted.

"Ah." Azula casually opened her mouth. Her eyes widened when she felt a sugary pastry was put into her mouth. She took a bite of it while grabbing hold of the rest of the pastry she hadn't bitten into. "It's a little sweet, but tasty. Taste like moon peach cakes."

Katara smiled. "I knew you'd like it." She took the rest of the pastry from the firebender's hand and ate it.

Seeing what Katara did, Azula shot up from her seat and began walking out of the room quickly. "Where are you going?" Katara asked.

"Walk. Need Air."

Azula felt the heat rise to her cheeks with the image of Katara eating the pastry she had eaten off of before kept replaying in her head. "She's going to be the end of me!" Azula exasperated.

"Mmm… this is tasty." Sokka mumbled to himself as he left the room. Azula rolled her eyes.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula walked up to the dojo fifteen minutes before the designated time. When she arrived she saw Suki there.

"Ah, good. I was hoping you'd show up early. We need to apply the make-up on you."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. If you're to train with us, you need to follow all of our traditions. That includes wearing our uniforms and the make-up." Suki explained as she handed the neatly folded uniform to the firebender. "Get changed first before we apply the make up."

The firebender climbed into the dojo away from the public eye before stripping down to her undergarments. Azula picked up the top, slipping it on and tying it before picking up the hakama. She stepped into the hakama bringing it up to her waist and tying it around her waist.

Suki walked in just as Azula finished putting the armguards and gloves on. "You might not want to put the gloves on just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because you need to put on the rest of the armor and the headband." Suki gently tossed the chest, and leg-groin protector.

Azula slipped the chest armor over her head. She liked how the armor allowed her to move but was tight enough so it wouldn't suffocate her. Suki laughed.

"I probably should have told you to put the leg-groin protector on first. There's no way it'll work on top of the chest armor." Suki helped Azula out of the chest armor.

After about five minutes Azula was fully dress minus the headband. She currently had her eyes closed as Suki applied the make up on her face and neck

"Okay you can open your eyes. Because the next time you close them you can't open them because I'm going to apply the make-up over the eyes. Mean while let's apply the lipstick."

The firebender did what she was told. "No disrespect towards Avatar Kyoshi, but did she actually wear this much make up every day?"

"Probably. In every painting and statue I've seen she has. I know this seems to be taking a while and that's because we normally do the make up ourselves. If you practiced you'd be able to do this quickly and beautifully as well. Close your eyes."

She closed her eyes and felt the paint being brushed over her eyelids.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"I heard Suki invited the Fire Nation girl to train with us today. This should be interesting." The other Kyoshi Warriors walked into the dojo just as Azula had finished tying the headband around her head.

"Wow. Not bad, you could actually pass for being one of us." Commented one of the warriors. All the other girls agreed and gave compliments to the firebender.

"Okay, that's enough talking. We're going to go back and study the basics today for Azula. Also, it's never a bad idea to review the basics. I expect wonderful forms from all of you." Suki instructed.

They spent about an hour teaching Azula the basics of using the fans and basics. Being a prodigy she easily picked up on what was being taught to her. Soon they moved on to partner works of using their force against them. It was only after being tossed onto her rear for the third did she finally understand how she recognized the motion.

"Hey, you're fighting techniques are very similar to waterbending." Azula hopped up noticing she had the group's attention. "In waterbending they usually turn their defense to offense just like we've been doing. Watch."

Azula easily breezed through part of the form Kanna taught her emphasizing towards the part that she was shown by the Kyoshi Warriors.

"Very nice. Mind if we use the form to also practice?" Suki asked.

"I don't see why not."

The firebender spent the next couple of hours teaching the Kyoshi Warriors part of the waterbending form three moves at a time. She would teach them the moves, then watch them to make corrections, and finally they applied it by working with their partners while moving through the form. Azula was enjoying the trade off of learning something from them and teaching them something as well.

Suddenly they are a very arrogant voice call into the dojo. "Sorry ladies! Didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson." Sokka walked in and began stretching his arms and waist. "I was just looking for somewhere to get a little workout?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing. Azula stayed quiet and in the back so Sokka wouldn't see her. She hadn't told her friends that Suki had invited her to train.

"Well, you're in the right place. Sorry about yesterday." Suki apologized. "I didn't know you were friends with the Avatar."

Sokka began rolling his shoulders. "It's all right. I mean, normally I'd hold a grudge, but seeing as you guys are a bunch of girls, I'll make an exception."

Azula rolled her eyes. She couldn't understand why her friend had to be so arrogant and sexist. Normally she would have attacked him already, but she decided to let him fall on his own face.

"I should hope so. A big strong man like you? We wouldn't stand a chance." Suki replied sarcastically.

"True. But don't feel bad. After all, I'm the best warrior in my village."

Suki looked back to the group of warriors briefly just to see Azula snickering in the background. "Wow! Best warrior, huh? In your whole village? Maybe you'd be kind enough to give us a little demonstration."

"Oh… well… I mean… I…"

"Come on, girls! Wouldn't you like him to show us some moves?" All the other girls giggled as Azula tried to keep herself from laughing so hard.

"Well, if that's what you want, I'd be happy to. All right, you stand over there." Sokka walked up to Suki and tried moving her, but she didn't and it didn't seem like Sokka noticed either. "This may be a little tough, but try to block me."

Sokka threw a punch only to be blocked when Suki thrust her fan into his shoulder. He rubbed his shoulder. "Heh Heh… good. Of course, I was going easy on you."

"Of course."

"Let's see if you handle this!" The boy lunged himself towards the Kyoshi leader. Suki easily caught him under his leg and tossed him on his butt. "That does it!"

He lunged at Suki again. She grabbed him by his arm spinning him in circles one way and then the other way before taking his belt off. Suki quickly tied his arm and leg together with his foot before tossing him on the ground.

"Anything else you want to teach us?" Suki laughed.

Azula couldn't help but let out a loud laugh with the other girls. She knew Sokka was going to lose against Suki, but she didn't think he'd humiliate himself as bad as he did.

When she got close enough to Sokka his face was all red. "Do you need help getting back to the house?" Azula asked.

"Yes, please." He squeaked.

The firebender easily lifted Sokka up and started to untie his arm and leg. "I don't see how you could be so arrogant. I beat you all the time."

"That's because you're like a sister to me. I only let you win."

Her eye twitched. She tightened Sokka's binds and pushed him out of the dojo. "Have fun getting back to the house all by yourself."

"On that note the lessons are done for the day. Same time tomorrow girls." Suki announced.

Purposely ignoring the pleading from the male warrior Azula walked away from the dojo.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula had just finished washing the make up off her face when Katara struggled to walk into their bedroom a big basket of food. Katara tripped and was about to drop the basket, but Azula ran up and caught the basket of food as Katara leaned into both the basket and Azula.

"You couldn't take multiple trips?" Azula asked as she lifted Katara up.

"I'm irritated with Aang. I wasn't thinking too much about what I was putting in the basket. This morning he promised that he wouldn't the Avatar thing get to his head and claimed to be a 'simple monk.' He's having girls chase him around the whole village. It's so infuriating!"

"What is it and the boy's being so stuck up?" Azula ask rhetorically as she tried to remove the chest armor.

Katara walked up behind her and began helping Azula remove the chest protector. "Did Sokka stop by the dojo?"

"Yes, and he was very arrogant. Suki put him in his place though." Azula lifted her arms while Katara lifted the armor over the firebender's head. "He got his leg and arm tied together by her. I was willing to help him out but after I commented how I've beaten him so many times and he shouldn't be arrogant, he responded of saying he let me win because I was like a sister to him.

"So as punishment he's struggling to get him with his arm and leg tied behind his back." Azula laid down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. "I think you'll be happy to know a lot of the Kyoshi Warrior techniques are very similar to waterbending."

"Really that's great! So when do you plan on teaching me?"

"We can start later tonight. I'm tired. Please wake me up when lunch arrives." Azula stripped down to her undergarments and slipped under the blankets.

Just as she was about to fall asleep she felt the bed shift as Katara climbed in. The waterbender practically laid herself on top of the firebender. Azula buried her face into the pillow hiding her blush.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking a nap with you." Katara responded casually as she snuggled deeper onto the girl.

"Why?"

"I'm being greedy and stealing some of your firebending heat. It's too cold in my bed."

"At least you're honest." Azula sighed.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Katara and Azula walked out of the house. The moon was out and there were torches lit around the village.

"I don't know if I'm so excited or nervous! I'm going to be learning more waterbending moves!" Katara cheered as Azula came up behind her.

Azula grabbed Katara around the waist, picked her up and twirled her around. "Fair warning though, all the stuff I learned today were your basic waterbending moves." She set the waterbender down.

"How basic?"

"Push and pull but applying it to fighting. Now I have a question for you, do you trust me?" Azula asked.

"Of course." She flinched when she suddenly saw Azula's fist less than an inch away from her face.

"Good because that's how close I'll be coming towards you with each punch. I'll be going full speed and full power. But I'll have control and won't hit you physically or with fire.

"What I want you to do is not to stop my punch but to at guide my arm or grab my arm that way I'll be in your fighting area." Azula explained. "Here punch me."

Katara did what she was told. Azula easily guided the waterbender's arm away from her but had control of it.

"We're just going to work on you getting control of my arm before we move on to at least a few basic counter attacks."

The two benders went through the motions. "I think I got the hang of it. Azula, what kind of counter attacks do you have in mind?"

"Punch me again." Azula guided Katara's arm grabbing it with her left and came close to slamming her elbow into the waterbender's face. "That's one way. Immediately hit them in the first vital opening you find. In my case it was your face.

"One more punch please." They went through the punch and guiding process again only this time she pushed Katara and stepped forward to keep up with the waterbender as she threw a palm strike to the waterbender's face. "This is for pushing your opponent away from you to make distance and gain the upperhand."

"Okay I think I understand." An hour passed as they continued practicing the counter moves over and over.

"I think you got it Katara!" Azula said proudly. "See you're a prodigy if you can master this without bending. I can just see it now. Katara will be the best waterbender your master will have ever seen." She wrapped her arm around the waterbender's shoulders as the walked back to the house.

Katara blushed at her friend's comment. "I also have a very good teacher."

"What's wrong with Azula?" Aang asked as the two walked into the house.

Azula's face was flushed. "I'm fine Aang."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The next day Azula was training with the other Kyoshi Warriors again. They continued working on the waterbending form only with their fans this time.

"Youch!" Azula cried in pain as she dropped the fan. "Suki whatever you did just now made my hand go numb."

"I just hit your pressure point from your wrist."

"Hmm. Very effective. Apparently my arm is numb as well." Azula laughed. All the other girls laughed with her.

Everyone froze when they saw Sokka walk into the dojo. "Um… hey, Suki."

"Hoping for another dance lesson?" Suki asked mockingly.

"No… I… well, let me explain."

"Spit it out! What do you want?"

Azula never thought she'd see the day Sokka kneeling to the girl. "I would be honored if you would teach me."

"Even if I'm a girl?"

"I'm sorry if I insulted you earlier. I was wrong."

"We normally don't teach outsiders. But as of yesterday we've made an exception." Suki quickly looked over at Azula. "Boys are a different story."

"Please make another exception. I won't let you down."

"All right. But you have to follow all of our traditions."

"Of course!" Sokka replied quickly.

"And I mean ALL of them."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Do I really have to wear this? It feels a little… girly."

Azula chuckled at Sokka's comment.

"It's a warrior's uniform. You should be proud. The silk threads symbolize the brave blood that flows through our veins. The gold insignia represents the honor of the warrior's heart." Suki explained.

Sokka stood proudly. "Bravery and honor."

"Hey Sokka! Nice dress!' Aang giggled before running off.

"Don't pick on him Aang!" Azula called off to the Avatar. "Jerk." She mumbled.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Sir, we'll be landing on the shores of the island soon." One of the captain of the ship informed Commander Zhao.

"Good. Let's find ourselves the Fire Nation's number one enemy. Fire Lord Azuko is going to be very pleased."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula yawned as she watched Suki and Sokka spar some more. The only reason she stayed was to observe their weaknesses. At some point Momo came in and fell asleep on her lap.

After Sokka finished parrying Suki's arm one last time they both smiled. "Not bad, Sokka."

Suddenly Oyaji appeared at the door of the dojo. "Firebenders have landed on our shores. Girls, come quickly!"

"Hey, I'm not a… oh, whatever!" Sokka shouted.

The three warriors ran out of the dojo. Suki and Sokka ran towards the village's entrance while Azula quickly ran back to the house to grab her swords. Once she got them the hid in the trees working her way down to the village. She saw soldiers sitting on Komodo-Rhinos.

One of the Komodo-Rhinos stepped forward further than the other ones. A man with side burns was dressed different the other soldiers.

"He could be the leader." Azula whispered to herself.

"Come out Avatar! You're hundred years of hiding is over." The man with side burns shouted into the village.

Azula looked up at the rooftops and saw the other Kyoshi Warriors. She got out of her hiding spot from the trees and side of one of the buildings keeping an eye on the firebenders.

The leader of the firebenders sliced his arm across the creating a flame arc. The flames hit parts of the building causing them to catch fire.

"I'd hurry up if I were you Avatar. Fire can be so hard to control." The leader unleashed more fire from his palms.

Before any of the flames could hit the buildings Azula firebended at the flames to distinguish them.

She heard the soldiers mumbling. They didn't understand how their Commander's fire could suddenly disappear. Azula took a deep breath and stepped out of her hiding spot.

The commander and Azula stared each other down. She knew the Kyoshi Warriors didn't understand why she was doing this. She didn't expect them to because she wanted to prove that not all firebenders were allied with the Fire Nation.

"Who are you?" Azula asked.

"Commander Zhao. Now what is a firebender doing defending an Earth Kingdom village? Surely, you don't think you'll be able to take on all of us. If you have any loyalty to your nation you'll destroy this village until we find the Avatar."

"The Fire Nation betrayed my family a long time ago. Tell your Fire Lord that nine years ago he made an enemy when he betrayed his Fire Lord and overthrew him. The Avatar should be the last of your concern." Azula threatened.

"The you have declared yourself a traitor of the Fire Nation. Arrest the traitor and search for the Avatar." Zhao ordered. "I'm sure Fire Lord Akuzo will be pleased having the Avatar and a traitor in custody."

Azula took a defensive stance as she opened her fans ready for the firebenders to attack her. She looked up to one of the roofs and caught Suki's eye. The firebender smirked. She quickly lowered herself and firebended with the help of her fans and attacked the Komodo-Rhinos.

Just as one of the Fire Nation soldiers was about to attack, Suki jumped from the rooftop and knocked them off the Komodo-Rhino. The rest of the warriors followed suit. Suki charged up towards Zhao just as she was about to land on him the Komodo-Rhino turned and swatted her out of the air with its tail.

Zhao fired a fireball towards her. Sokka jumped in between Suki and the fireball, deflecting it with his fans. While Zhao was distracted Azula snuck up on him and knocked him off his Komodo-Rhino. Suki, Sokka, and Azula cautiously approached Zhao.

The commander slashed his arm downwards sending another fire arc towards them. Azula quickly bended a firewall protecting them from the fire, when the wall disappeared she quickly drew her swords and slammed the hilt of the sword into Zhao's wrist like Suki had done to her with the fan earlier that day.

Before the commander could recover, Azula elbowed him hard in the face. Zhao lost his balance. Azula did a front turning reverse leg sweep to his standing leg causing the commander to fall onto his back. Just as Azula was about to strike, one of Zhao's soldiers attacked her. She had just barely protected herself from the blast.

Aang and Katara had just gotten back into the village running to help the others. As the Airbender approached where Azula was he saw Zhao standing up preparing to attack her. Azula was busy fighting off another soldier to notice Zhao.

"Azula duck!" Aang shouted as he swung his staff sending an air blast towards Azula and Zhao.

The firebender just barely ducked as the air blast flew by her slamming into Zhao knocking the commander about ten feet away. From the looks of it all the Fire Nation soldiers were either gaining conscious or were struggling to get up.

"These people got their town destroyed trying to protect me." Aang said sadly as he walked up to Azula.

"It's not your fault…" Katara started.

"Yes it is."

"Then we need to get out of here. I'm sure the Fire Nation will leave Kyoshi to follow us." Katara explained.

Aang hung his head. "I'll call Appa."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"I know, I know. That was stupid and dangerous." He was expecting a lecture from Katara as he climbed back onto Appa.

"Yes, it was." Katara hugged the airbender tightly. Azula felt a little irritated seeing Katara hugged Aang.

When they broke the hug all of them looked back at the now faded Kyoshi Island. "So what's the plan now?" Aang asked.

"Getting you to the North Water Tribe as soon as possible. You've had your fun." Azula said bluntly while glaring at Aang. "The last thing we need from now on is having that Commander Zhao chasing us. Aang, you're the Avatar they're going to be hunting us down from now on. It also doesn't help that I'm going to be on the wanted list with you now too."

"What? What happened?" Katara asked.

"I've officially been marked a traitor to the Fire Nation. This is going to be fun." Azula ended sarcastically.

"Well, things couldn't get much worse." Sokka commented.


	7. The Winter Solstice

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 6: The Winter Solstice**

**Note:** Health wise I'm doing a lot better! Also if you're interested here is a link to some of my artworks for Golden Wolf Warrior. The link to the gallery/drawings are in my profile.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

**

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"Come with us." Haru suggested to Katara.

"I can't. Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole." Both Katara and Haru looked down at Appa where Aang was airbending coal around.

"That's him, isn't it? The Avatar."

"Yes, he is." Azula answered. She had just finished checking up on all the former prisoners. "I'm glad we were able to help you to reunite with your father. I only wish I could ever have the chance with my family."

Katara sadly smiled at the firebender. She reached up to her necklace as she thought of her mother. As she touched the pendent the necklace broke.

"Oh no!" Katara gasped. "My mother's necklace!"

"What is it?" Azula asked.

"It broke." Katara replied sadly.

"Let me see it." Azula gently took the necklace into her hands. She examined the damage. "Thankfully the pendent isn't broken. The pendent hook just broke. I'll see if I can fix it. Do you mind if I hold onto it until then?"

"Azula, thank you." Katara hugged the firebender.

Once they dropped off all the earthbenders, the four teens were off flying further north. Sokka was busy looking for more food to eat, Katara was sewing some of the clothes that needed repair, Azula continued to examine the damaged necklace while trying to stop Momo from touching it, and Aang looked onwards toward the horizon.

"You know, since we were busy yesterday tricking the Fire Nation into arresting Katara, I'm sorry to say this to you, but Katara, Sokka, you're acting is really terrible." Azula said bluntly.

Suddenly Azula felt really cold water on her. "I'm just being honest with you. We'll work on it!" Azula defended.

Katara annoyingly turned away from Azula, but smiled once she knew the firebender wasn't paying attention.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Happy Birthday, Katara!" Everyone cheered.

Azula had taken Katara away from the igloo for most of the day so her family could prepare for the waterbender's birthday celebration. Kya hugged her daughter followed by Sokka and Kanna.

They spent the evening forgetting about the war and eating all of Katara's favorite food. Azula even ate all the sea prunes that were given to her without making a face for Katara's sake. The night was filled with laughter and happiness.

"Okay time for presents. Here you go!" Sokka exclaimed as he presented a carved wooden doll of a Polar Bear Dog.

"Awww… Sokka!" Katara hugged her brother. "It's so cute. It looked just like Koro. What do you think boy?"

Koro opened one of his eyelids and looked at the wooden doll before falling back asleep.

"Here Katara." Azula handed a rolled up scroll to the waterbender.

Katara opened the scroll to reveal two characters writing in calligraphy on them. "Water Virtue." She read out loud. "Why those two words?"

"Well since you're a waterbender I found it appropriate." Azula explained as she blushed.

"I love it!" Katara gave the firebender a tight hug.

"One last gift Katara." Kya said as she removed her necklace. "Here I want you to have this. Both Gran Gran and I thought you would enjoy wearing this."

The waterbender took hold of her mother's necklace as Kanna explained the history of the necklace. "This was my necklace until I gave it to your mother when she married your father. It has been through many adventures, and needs to be passed on to give the necklace more adventures. Take care of it."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aang and Azula sat on Appa's head leaning back and enjoying themselves. They were in the middle of a long conversation bending sparring match. Both of them had to imagine what the other was saying and work a counter off of that to try and beat each other. Some of things they claimed to do was rather ridiculous but made a great sparring match.

"Hah, I captured you in my Air Vortex and I slam you into the wall." Aang claimed

"Ouch that's going to hurt tomorrow. I quickly bounce back up I do a roundhouse then a spinning reverse hook back heel kick sending two fire arcs towards you." Azula countered.

"I counter that by creating an Air Dome around me dispersing the flames and then I burst my Air Dome to my surrounding knocking you to the wall again."

Azula flinched as she imagined it, "I think that would have taken me out. Nice match Aang."

Katara sighed as she dreamingly stared over Appa's saddle. "Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big, soft cotton heap."

"Maybe you should give it a try." Sokka replied teasingly.

"You're hilarious." The waterbender retorted.

Aang suddenly jumped up nearly knock Azula off Appa's head. "I'll try it!" He jumped off of Appa with his glider in hand. "Yehhh!"

The three Water Tribe teens looked over Appa's side seeing Aang plunge through the clouds. A moment later Aang landed in Appa's saddle soaking wet.

"Turns out clouds are made out of water!"

Azula shook her head as she brought her attention back to where they were flying. She raised an eyebrow when she saw a patch of darkness in the middle of a forest.

"Hey, guys… I think you should look at this."

Everyone looked and was horrified at what they saw. The closer they got to the ground they were able to see that it was a forest burnt to nothingness.

"It's like a scar." Sokka observed.

When Appa landed the four teens got out of the saddle and sadly looked at the barren landscape. All there hearts sank feeling the sadness and emptiness of the earth.

"Listen, it's so quiet. There's no life anywhere." Sokka pointed out.

Both Sokka and Azula crouched down to see the track marks that were left in the ashes.

"Fire Nation!" Sokka stood up in anger. "Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for-"

"Shh!" Katara interrupted.

Sokka brought he voice down to a whisper. "What? I'm not allowed to be angry?"

Azula took a deep breath as she imagined what the Fire Nation soldiers did to this forest. She didn't have trouble believing that they would do something like this, but she didn't agree with them. The firebender picked up a hand full of the ash as it seeped through her fingers. She felt Katara walk up to her.

"How's Aang doing?" Azula asked.

"He's really depressed because he doesn't think he can be the Avatar." Katara knelt down and placed her arms around Azula's neck.

"Aang will find a way. He's done it many times before." Azula said confidently. "I hate this. I hate seeing the Fire Nation destroying all the innocence. Seeing this makes me hate myself. Makes me hate knowing I'm a firebender." She clenched her fist causing the rest of the ashes to fall out her hand.

The two benders stood up and kept staring at the burnt forest. Katara kept holding on Azula for comfort.

"It looked like two or three Fire Nation soldiers destroyed the forest. However, it takes just one small flame to create this much damage." Azula produced a small flame from her palm.

Katara hugged the firebender as she looked to the ground. As she looked at the ground she noticed several bumps in the ashes.

"Hey, lift your foot." Katara got down on her knees and dug through the ashes to find acorns. She held it up to Azula as she stood up.

"Acorns?"

"Yes, and there seems to be a lot of them. Azula, do you know what this means?" Katara asked excitedly.

"More nuts for dinner?" Remembering the whole problem of almost having to eat nuts for dinner before they met Haru.

"No." She walked over to Aang. "Hey Aang, are you ready to be cheered up?"

"No."

Katara threw an acorn towards the airbender's head with a big whack.

"Ow! Hey, how was that cheering me up?" Aang asked as he picked up the acorn and rubbed the side of his head.

Sokka laughed. "Cheered me up." Katara threw another acorn only this time harder towards Sokka's head. "Ow! Yeah, I probably deserved that."

"One of these days Sokka you'll learn." Azula commented as she sat next to him.

"Aang, these acorns are everywhere. That means the forest will grow back. Every one of these will be a tall oak tree someday, and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back." Katara explained as she placed an acorn in the young boy's hand.

Suddenly they heard a branch snap. The four immediately got into a fighting stance ready to defend themselves. They saw an old man in green with a walking stick approach them.

"Hey, who are you?" Sokka asked.

"When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible, but those markings… Are you the Avatar child?" The old man asked.

Aang looked towards his friends. They all nodded in approval. Aang turned towards the man and nodded to him as well.

"My village desperately needs your help."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After they had followed the old man to their village they were informed about the Hei-Bai spirit and how Aang was the great bridge between the human world and the spirit world. Azula, Sokka, and Katara watched Aang from inside the building with the other villagers as Aang stood outside waiting for Hei-Bai.

"Hello? Spirit, can you hear me?" Aang asked into the forest. "This is the Avatar speaking. I'm here to try to help stuff."

"This isn't right. We can't sit here and cower while Aang waits for some monster to show up."

The old man walked up to them by the window. "If anyone can save us, he can."

"He still shouldn't have to face this alone." Sokka argued.

As the sunset the world darkened with Aang standing by himself near the gates. "The sun has set. Where are you, Hei-Bai?" Aang shouted. "Well, spirit, uh, I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace!"

He twirled his staff and planted it into the ground. When nothing happened Aang eased. "Okay. Well, I guess that's settled then." He began to walk back to the village.

The three Water Tribe teens looked closer to see a giant spirit walk out of the woods. The spirit was black and white, as big as a house, and had six legs.

"Aang, behind you!" Azula shouted.

Aang turned around to come face to face with Hei Bai. "You must be the Hei-Bai spirit." He bowed. "My name is –"

Hei Bai blasted a blue energy from his mouth, but Aang didn't move. The giant spirit sat on its hind-legs and blasted another blue energy before charging towards the village ignoring Aang.

The airbender sprinted towards the spirit trying to get its attention. "My name is Aang! I'm the Avatar and I would like to help! Hey, wait up!"

It was terrible seeing Aang trying so hard but failing as Hei-Bai continued to destroy the village. Hei-Bai kept vanishing and reappearing in a blink of an eye at a new location and destroying it.

"The Avatar's methods are…" The two teens and the village chief ducked as debris from a near by building hit the window. "… Unusual."

Azula glared at the chief. "Why don't you try it? He's doing his best!"

"It doesn't seem to be too interested in what he's saying. Maybe we should go help him?" Sokka asked Azula and Katara.

"No, only the Avatar stands a chance against the Hei-Bai." The old man replied.

"Says who?" Azula argued.

"Azula, calm down. Aang will figure out the right thing to do." Katara said trying to calm the firebender.

"Excuse me, would you please turn around? I command you to turn around now!" Aang shouted.

The firebender smacked her forehead. "Never command a spirit!"

Hei-Bai turned around and swatted Aang to the nearest roof. He slid off and collapsed on the ground.

"That's it! He needs help!" Sokka ran out of the meeting hall towards Aang and Hei-Bai.

"Sokka wait!" Katara shouted.

Azula tried running after him, but was stopped by the old man.

"It's not safe!"

"Sokka!" Katara shouted

Azula brought her attention back to the fight she saw Hei-bai grab Sokka and run out of the village.

"Sokka!" Azula and Katara ran out of the meeting hall to the village gates. Aang kept gliding through the forest after Sokka.

"Aang, please bring him back." Katara whispered.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Two hours had gone by and still no Aang or Sokka. Katara hadn't moved from her place by the village gates.

"Hey." Azula said casually.

"Hey."

"Katara, come inside. You can catch a cold staying out here." Azula suggested.

"Not unless I have a firebender to keep me warm."

Azula blushed. "Are you sure that's all you want?"

The waterbender nodded. Azula sighed and slid down against the gatepost till she was sitting on the ground. She opened her arms for Katara to sit between the firebender and absorb the body heat. Once Katara was seated in between Azula, she snuggled up to the firebender causing Azula to blush even harder.

"Thanks Azula." Katara mumbled.

"You're welcome." She placed her head on top of the waterbender's while embracing her.

Katara had her ear pressed against Azula's heart. The steady beating of the firebender's heart brought comfort to the waterbender even though she was worried about her brother and Aang. She felt the firebender's embrace loosen. Katara looked up to see Azula had fallen asleep.

"Aang, come back soon." Katara whispered into the forest.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The firebender took a deep breath and awoke when the sun rose above the horizon. It took her a second to remember that Katara had snuggled up against her last night. She couldn't help but blush faintly. When she looked down she noticed that Katara had the old man's shawl wrapped around them.

"Morning." Katara mumbled into Azula's chest.

"Morning. Did they come back?"

"Not yet. The old man came by a few minutes ago."

"So I see." Azula said quietly.

The two benders continued to sit by the village gates with their eyes closed. They were both thinking of what they could possibly do next. They needed to find Sokka and Aang.

A familiar grunt was heard as a wet nose was pressed up against the side of their faces.

"It's ok, Appa. I'm sure they're on their way back. I bet they even found you a bunch of moon peaches for a treat." Katara comforted the sky bison. "I'm going to take Appa and go look for them."

"I'll go with you." Azula said as the two stood up.

"No. Someone should stay here in case they come back."

"Okay… but be careful."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Later that night Aang successfully comforted Hei-Bai when he realized that Hei-Bai was the spirit of the forest. Sokka and the other villagers had returned safely. The villagers were helping the group with supplies and money for their journey.

"The Fire Nation. Of all the places, why couldn't Avatar Roku talk to Aang from a temple that we are welcomed in!" Sokka asked.

"Because Avatar Roku was an Avatar from the Fire Nation. From what Aang said he has a temple dedicated to him." Azula pointed out. She looked out the window seeing Aang trying to sneak out of the village. "Hey, he's trying to leave without us."

"So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" Aang shouted. Aang continued to pull on the reins as the entire village walked out of the meeting hall.

"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." Sokka commented.

Katara walked up and begged. "Please don't go, Aang. The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I."

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means." Aang urged. "I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sunsets on the Solstice. That's today."

Aang jumped on Appa's back. The three Water Tribe teens jumped in front of the sky bison.

"We're not letting you go to the Fire Nation, Aang." Katara declared.

"At least not without your friends. We've got your back." Sokka finished.

Once everyone was ready to go the village chief handed Aang a parcel. "It's a long journey to the Crescent Island. You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown. Good luck."

"Thank you, for your-" Aang was cut off.

"Go!"

Appa quickly flew off leaving the village behind in a matter of minutes.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula took a deep breath. "The sun is rising. The race against the sun begins."

"Aang, can't Appa fly any faster?" Sokka asked as sun began rising above the horizon.

"Yeah, but there's one problem."

"A blockade." Azula finished.

There was a double line of Fire Nation ships stretching beyond the horizons.

"If we fly north we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade. It's the only way."

"Aang, there's no time." Azula argued. "This is the halfway point and it's the Solstice! Meaning the shortest day of the year."

"Argh! This is exactly why I didn't want you to come. It's too dangerous."

"And that's exactly why we're here." Katara responded.

Sokka pointed towards the blockade. "Let's run this blockade!"

"Appa, yip yip!"

The sky bison began to fly faster towards the blockade. The closer they got fireballs were being launched at them. They all screamed. Appa weaved left and right avoiding the fireballs as best as he could. Then one fireball exploded just barely missing Appa. There were fireball grazes on his side. Azula quickly absorbed the heat of the fire dispersing them.

"Appa! Are you okay?" Aang asked.

Appa groaned affirmatively. He flew even faster towards the blockade.

Multiple fireballs kept flying towards them. Appa made the attempt of hiding in the clouds, but that made things worse. They couldn't see where the fireballs were coming from. Two fireballs collided exploding in Appa's face. Appa reared up trying to avoid the combustion bucking Sokka out of the saddle.

Azula had just barely grabbed hold of the warrior's arm. Sokka was dangling outside the saddle.

"Aang keep going I've got him!" Azula shouted to the airbender.

Aang lowered them down to sea level as they got closer and closer to the ship. As Azula pulled Sokka back into the saddle a fireball was coming straight towards them. Aang leaped from Appa's head kicking a burst of air directly to the center of the fireball creating an opening through the center when it burst into debris.

The sky bison flew through the debris' center. Aang was thrown backwards by the wind onto Appa's head. Sokka and Katara grabbed Aang by the shoulders to steady him. Appa flew past the blockade passing a ship holding a certain Fire Nation Naval Commander.

Azula glared at Zhao as they flew by the blockade. It felt like several minutes as the Commander and female warrior locked their despiteful glares onto one another, but were only mere seconds.

"We made it!" Aang cheered.

Sokka and Katara were shocked. "We made it into the Fire Nation. Great." Sokka said in disbelief.

"We're going to need to be careful at the temple. I think we're going to be seeing Zhao again."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Once the door was completely shut all three of them began running away from the entrance. As they ran past the throne room, Azula grabbed hold of Lu Ten's hand causing him to stop running.

"What is it Azula?"

"Lu, there's a secret door in Grandpa's throne room!" Azula exclaimed.

"What? Are you sure?" Lu Ten knelt down to his cousin's height.

"Yes, Zuzu and I accidently found it when we were hiding from Grandpa. We were playing there and didn't want to get in trouble. It leads just outside the palace gates!"

Still holding Lu Ten's hand, all three of them ran into the Fire Lord's throne room. Once they entered Azula let go of her cousin's hand and ran to the wall below the throne.

"See the fire symbol Lu. All you have to do is fire bend and the secret door opens." Azula said proudly.

"Oh really that's great!" Lu Ten said happily.

Azula quickly took a firebending stance and fired a fireball at the Fire Nation insignia. After a few seconds there was a shift and the secret door exposed itself.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula gripped her head and groaned a little as Shyu opened the secret door that was disguised as a floor outside of the sanctuary doors.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked as she placed a hand on Azula's shoulder.

"Yeah. Just had a small flashback that's all."

Shyu walked up the last steps into the temple followed by the four teens.

"NO!" Shyu exclaimed.

"Shyu, what's wrong?" Aang asked.

"The sanctuary doors, they're closed."

"Can't we just firebend them open?" Azula asked. "Like you did with that other door?"

"No. Only a fully realized Avatar is powerful enough to open these doors alone. Otherwise the Sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts."

"Five fire blasts, huh?" Sokka looked up at the lantern above him. "I think I can help you out."

Sokka had taken the lantern down and began making a bomb with them. "This is a little trick I picked up from my father. I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing, Shyu or Azula lights the oil soaked twine and tada!" He held the last bomb out. "Fake firebending!"

"You've really outdone yourself this time, Sokka." Katara praised.

Shyu gave a big smile. "This might actually work."

Azula and Sokka placed the bombs into the mouths of the lions. Before running behind one of the pillars where everyone else was.

"The Sages will hear the explosions, so as soon as they go off, you rush in.

"Are you ready?" Katara asked.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aang had just barely made it inside the sanctuary. When the doors became fully shut there was a blast of bright light encasing the doors before fading. Two of the sages had the three Water Tribe teens tied up against one of the columns.

Shyu was on his knees facing the Great Sage. "Shyu, why did you help the Avatar?"

"Because it was once the Sages' duty. It is still our duty."

The Great Sage was furious at Shyu's answer. Suddenly they all heard clapping coming from one of the main stairway. Azula looked over and saw Zhao and his soldiers.

"What a moving and heartfelt performance. I'm certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him." Zhao said smugly.

"You're Fire Lord is a traitor himself! He betrayed the real Fire Lord and murder the real Royal Family!" Azula shouted.

Zhao turned his attention to Azula. "Ah, yes, there is also the matter of having to deal with you. Two traitors and the Avatar, in one day, the Fire Lord will indeed be pleased."

"You're too late, Zhao. Aang is already inside and the doors are sealed." Azula retorted.

"No matter. Sooner or later, he has to come out."

Azula clenched her teeth and glared at the Commander.

Zhao and his soldiers took a fighting stance in front of the doors. "When those doors open, unleash all your firebending power."

"How's Aang going to make it out of this?" Katara asked.

"How're we going to make it out of this?" Sokka asked back.

Another blinding light blasted from the sanctuary doors. When the light faded the door began to fully open. Two large glowing eyes were visible through the dark sanctuary.

"Ready." Zhao ordered his troops.

"No! Aang!" Katara shouted.

"Fire!"

Zhao and his soldiers all fired a fire blast into the sanctuary. However, the blasts were held only at the doors being controlled by gigantic ball of swirling fire. The fireball slowly began to open. In the center of the ball was not Aang, but Avatar Roku.

The Sage, Zhao, and Azula's mouths hung open in awe and fear.

"Avatar Roku." Azula whispered.

Roku drew a fireball and shot it out into the temple knocking Zhao and his soldiers to the floor. The fireball flew past the Water Tribe teens and Shyu melting the chains without hurting them. The former Fire Nation Avatar looked towards the Fire Sages. They ran for their lives trying to escape from Roku's wrath.

"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple! We have to get out of here!" Shyu urged.

"Not without Aang! Wait, where's Azula?" Katara and Sokka looked around and saw Azula making her way towards Avatar Roku.

"What is she doing?" Sokka asked.

The two Water Tribe teens crouched behind a column for protection. Azula was just barely got out of the way when Roku sliced the floor and firebended the lava to shoot up towards the ceiling.

"Aang! Aang, can you hear me?" Azula yelled towards Roku.

Roku lowered his arms and took a deep breath. He looked over at Azula causing her to freeze in her place. Aang's predecessor reached out and placed his hand on top of Azula's head.

Azula felt hypnotized and closed her eyes. When she opened them she was not in the Fire Nation Temple but on top of a mountain range facing Avatar Roku.

"I see. I knew you looked familiar. You look very much like my wife, Ta Min. It is nice to meet you, my great-granddaughter, Azula." Roku spoke gently.

Before the firebender could say anything a gust of wind blew at her causing her to close her eyes. When she opened her eyes once more Avatar Roku was disappearing by smoke that was swirling until it dissipated showing Aang. Azula caught Aang with Sokka and Katara quickly running up to them.

"We got your back." Sokka grabbed hold of Aang's side that Azula wasn't on.

Aang looked up at his friends tiredly. "Thanks. Where's Shyu?"

"I don't know." Katara replied quickly.

They walked over to the stairs to see lava rising. There was no escape for them. The only way out was through the broken wall. When they approached the edge they saw the temple being devoured by the volcano. A familiar groan was heard as Appa and Momo came flying towards them.

The four teens slide down one of the peaks to the temple and into Appa's saddle. Appa managed to fly them away before the temple collapsed on them. They all looked back towards the temple to finally see it disappear into the volcano. All of them knew they survived this time, but knew they would not be lucky twice.

Night had fallen before anyone spoke. Aang was the first to speak and he was panicking.

"There's a comet coming this summer. It's going to give the Fire Nation power that'll make them unstoppable!" Aang panicked.

Everyone was quietly as the information sunk in.

"Is Fire Lord Akuzo planning on using the comet's power?" Azula asked as she looked out towards the horizon.

"Yes! Roku said they're planning on using the comet to finish the war."

"It's the same comet that Fire Lord Sozin used to wipe out the Air Nomads isn't it?" Azula looked at Aang with a hard glare.

"Yes."

"Fire Lord Akuzo is going to use the comet to wipe out either the Earth Kingdom or the Water Tribe. While it'll make sense for him to go after the Water Tribe, he will most likely use the comet's power and wipe out the Earth Kingdom." Azula deducted.

"What makes you say that?" Sokka asked. "We're defenseless if the Fire Nation has this unimaginable power. They can easily take the Water Tribe out."

"That's exactly why I think they're going for the Earth Kingdom. If the Fire Nation is going to be unbeatable they might as well wipe out the current strongest nation. The Earth Kingdom. If the Earth Kingdom falls, the Water Tribes doesn't have a chance."

Everyone was quiet for the rest of the flight. Aang and Sokka fell asleep in Appa's saddle while Azula stayed awake and made sure Appa didn't fall asleep in mid-flight. Her mind wondered back to what Avatar Roku told her.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" Katara asked. Katara climbed out of the saddle and onto Appa's head next to Azula. Azula gripped Appa's reins tighter and continued starring out into the horizon. "Azula, calm down."

The waterbender placed her hands over the firebender's and slowly pried the reins out of Azula's hands. Azula leaned back with a big sigh and looked at her hands deep in thought.

"Avatar Roku… is my great-grandfather."

Katara looked over at her friend. Azula looked back.

"He told me at the temple before Aang gained control of his body again. Now I know why I felt a connection to him at the temple. It also explains the connection I felt with Aang too." Azula looked out to the horizon again. "Avatar Roku is inside me and in Aang. Heh, who'd have thought that I'd be spiritually related Aang."

"I wonder if it was meant to be."

"What was meant to be?"

"Well, Aang is looking forward to you being his firebending master. With your spiritual and biological connection to Avatar Roku, he's essentially going back to his previous life to teach him." Katara explained.

"I guess…" Azula trailed off. "The problem is I'm not a master firebender. I had to remember how to firebend and figure out the motions to do what I'm doing now. And unless we can find a firebending master who is not allied with the Fire Nation, we're screwed."

The waterbender smiled at the firebender. "I think it's because of Avatar Roku that you learned how to firebend again. He might have subconsciously taught you how."

Azula pondered at the thought for a while. "Maybe."

"Hei-Bai was kind of cute. And fluffy." Katara laughed when she saw Azula blush irritably and trying hard not to smile.


	8. Flow Like Water

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 7: Flow Like Water**

**Note:** This chapter was rather difficult to write. I was originally going to have Azula be jealous over Jet, but I realized I'd be repeating the episode and I didn't like that. Also it didn't fit with what I had in store for Azula and Katara. I've changed the ending to this chapter so many times I lost count.

Also if you have a deviantArt account, there is now a group for Golden Wolf Warrior. It's GoldenWolfWarrior.(deviantArt).com

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

"We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely." Sokka announced as he walked out of the shop.

"Uhh, make that two copper pieces, Sokka. I couldn't say no to this whistle!" Aang said happily as he took a bison shaped whistle out. He took a deep breath and blew.

Sokka instinctively plugged his ears with his index fingers only to hear nothing. "It doesn't even work." Momo chattered into Aang's ear causing the airbender to stop blowing. "See even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."

"May be it isn't Sokka. Look it's shaped like Appa. I think it's one of those whistles that only certain animals can hear." Azula pointed out.

"No offense, Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on." Katara held out her hand as Aang guiltily handed the money over.

"C'mon, let's get back to Appa." Azula said as she started walking off.

The group passed by the docks where many large ships were busy soliciting varies customers. "Keep your eyes forward and ignore them." Azula briefly told everyone as they kept on walking.

"Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here! Don't be shy, come on by!" They all heard one barker shout to the crowd. Suddenly the barker came running up towards them.

"Just keep walking." Azula whispered enough for the others to hear.

"Oh! You there! I can see by your clothing that you're world traveling types. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?" The barker addressed Aang.

"Sure! What are curios?" Aang asked. Azula glared at Aang as the whole group was stopped.

There was a pause before the barker responded. "I'm not entirely sure, but we got'em!" The barker grabbed Aang by the shoulders and bustled him onto the ship.

Azula took a deep breath and quickly let out some fire through her mouth. "The whole point was to get out of here quickly." She whispered to herself.

Everyone walked onto the ship and started looking at varies items. Azula walked over to the scrolls area. She saw a symbol that she had grown to recognize very well. Carefully she looked to make sure no one was looking. Azula turned her back to the scroll as if she was waiting for her friend's to finish what they were doing.

She made sure that the merchants were still busy as she grabbed hold of the scroll and snuck it out of its place in the shelf and tucked it into her robe.

"I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur. That beast would fetch me a hefty sum, if you'd be interested in bartering." The pirate captain walked up to Aang starring at Momo.

"Momo is not for sale!" Aang defended while trying to keep Momo away from the captain.

"Waaait a minute, sea-loving traders with suspiciously acquired merchandise… and pet reptile birds. You guys are pirates!"

The barker wrapped his arms around Sokka's shoulders. "We prefer to think of ourselves as high risk traders."

"That's great. We're leaving now!" Azula urged and walked off the ship. There was no room for argument.

"What was that about Azula?" Katara asked as the rest of the group caught up with the firebender.

Azula just kept on walking faster and faster until they were out of the ship's sight. "Trust me the sooner we get out of here the better. I'd rather face the Fire Nation over a bunch of low life pirates."

"Damn it, were did those blasted kids go? We need to get that scroll back or the captain will have our heads!" Azula heard one pirate say.

"Run! Don't stop running until you get back to camp!" Everyone separated and broke out into a run.

"There they are!" One of the pirates shouted.

All of them seemed to only be chasing Azula. "Good, I can easily lose them." Azula ran fast constantly jumping on barrels and to jump from wall to wall over merchant stands to keep the pirates away from her.

She kept running until she saw a familiar cabbage cart that she saw back when they were in Omashu. There was no way to run around it. She dropped to the ground using the momentum of her running to slide underneath the cabbage cart. The firebender saw the cabbage merchant hold his breath when he recognized her.

Azula easily got up from her slide in one motion and continued running as the pirates ran into the cabbage cart. That last she heard as she exited the town was the cabbage merchant screaming, "MY CABBAGES!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The sun was just starting to set when everyone arrived at the camp. "What was all that about, Azula? All the snapping you're doing and the running?" Sokka asked when the firebender came into view.

"Not now Sokka we have to pack and get away from the pirates."

"But-"

"No, buts. Trust me the quicker we get out and away from here the better."

Everyone once again didn't argue with Azula as the all packed the little supplies they had and got on Appa. "C'mon Appa, yip yip!" Azula commanded just as everyone barely got in the saddle.

"Azula slow down!" Katara shouted as she grabbed hold of the firebender's shoulders. "What is wrong with you?"

"Simply getting us to safety before I tell you anything." Azula got up from her spot on Appa's head and sat on the saddle. "There was a reason they were chasing us."

"And what reason is that miss crankiness?" Sokka asked irritably.

"Because of this." Azula took out the scroll she had stolen from the ship.

"No, Azula, you didn't. Don't tell me you stole from them." Aang begged.

The firebender smirked. "I wouldn't call it stealing. I call it high risk trading."

"What is so special about that scroll that you had to steal it?" Katara asked.

"It's a waterbending scroll. I don't know what kind of forms are in the scroll. I couldn't look at them while we were in the ship." Azula explained.

"So you risked all our lives over a waterbending scroll that you don't even know if it's real?" Sokka asked now furious at the female warrior.

Azula glared at the boy. "It's a real waterbending scroll, Sokka. I know because they wouldn't have had the Waterbending insignia on it if it weren't. Those pirates most likely stole this scroll from a Waterbender in the north. Katara and Aang need this scroll to practice waterbending."

"Let me see the scroll." Katara took the scroll out of Azula's hand and unrolled it. "Wow, they have some crazy moves in here. This water whip one looks promising though."

"You can practice once we get to a source near water and away from that trading village. Yip yip." Azula said.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Commander Zhao, are you certain that there is a firebender helping the Avatar?" Akuzo asked Zhao as they walked through the palace courtyard.

"I am certain, Sire. It is the same firebender who help defend Kyoshi Island and the one at the Fire Temple on Crescent Island. She was wearing clothes from the Water Tribe. And always makes it a point to remind me that you overthrew Fire Lord Azulon nine years ago." Zhao reported.

Akuzo suddenly stopped. "What is your estimate for how old the girl is?"

Zhao had to think for a while. "I would have to say she would be about the same age as Princess Cazu, Sire."

"Very well, that is all Commander, dismissed."

The commander bowed before walking off. Akuzo looked out to the courtyard and gripped the railing so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"I wonder if it's her. She was only a child when I took the thrown and she escaped after I killed her cousin."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Night had fallen by the time Azula had landed them in a forest filled with red and orange leaved trees.

"Wow, Azula you picked a great spot to camp." Aang complimented.

"Thanks. There's also a river for you and Katara to practice waterbending." The firebender pointed with her thumb.

"Great! Aang let's practice the water whip! Azula can you observe?" Katara asked.

"Why do you need me to observe?"

"Because you understand the waterbending forms better than me. And you're a firebender!"

Azula was speechless.

"Aang don't you want Azula to help us?" Katara looked over to the airbender.

"Yes! A firebender helping us learn waterbending is amazing."

Aang and Katara grabbed each of Azula's arms and dragged the firebender to the river. Azula sighed as she sat on a near by rock and watch the two practice bending the water before attempting the water whip.

"Okay I'm ready to try it!" Katara drew some water out of the river. She shifted her weight back like the scroll did. As she shifted her motion forward Azula saw what Katara did wrong when the water whip backfired on the waterbender. "Ow!"

Sokka laughed as he piled a small campfire.

"What's so funny?" Katara asked angrily.

"Nothing. Hey, Azula can you light the fire for us?" Sokka jumped when a small fire blast almost hit him as it lit the campfire.

Katara tried to do the water whip again. She once again failed to shift her weight properly through the stances. Instead of the water hitting the imaginary opponent the water whip went the opposite direction and whipped Momo.

Momo screamed when he felt the whip hit him in his rear. He forcefully jumped into Azula's chest, knocking the firebender off the rock. The lemur gripped to her shirt like a scared child.

"Oof!" Azula had the wind knocked out of her.

"Argh! Why can't I get this stupid move?" Katara shouted.

"It's because you're not shifting your weight properly." Azula pointed out as she got off the ground cradling Momo in her arms. "Aang, care to demonstrate."

Aang looked at the firebender nervously. "I'm not sure if I'm able to get it right…" The airbender looked at the scroll once more. He slowly moved through the stances and perfectly bended the water whip. "Hey, Azula's right it's all about shifting your weight through the stances! Did you see that Katara? Katara?"

Both Aang and Azula watch Katara stomp off to the edge of the woods. "What's wrong with her?" The Air Nomad asked.

"I have any idea what it is." Azula walked over to the waterbender.

Katara had her back to the camp as she sat on the ground staring up at the night sky. Azula didn't say anything. She sat down next to Katara as Momo jumped into her lap. They stayed like that for a while.

"You're upset because Aang is better than you at waterbending." It wasn't a question.

"It's not fair! I've been practicing for years and I still can't get the most basic moves down. He just started today and he mastered the moves I taught myself!" Katara brought her knees up to her chest.

"I think he's mastering waterbending so well is because he's already mastered one element. Not because he's the Avatar."

"But you're not even a master firebender yet. If you were the Avatar I'm sure you'd pick up waterbending no problem."

"I don't think I would've. Water is my natural opposite. I might be going through the waterbending motions with my fire but that doesn't mean I'd be able to bend the water. It's the opposite of your problem though. You can bend the water, but you can't control the water without the proper motion.

"You were going through the motion, however there were a lot of little movements you did that was throwing your bending off. A misstep, a different bent in the wrist, or not concentrating, those are your weaknesses Katara." Azula observed.

"I am concentrating though. If I wasn't I wouldn't have been able to lift the water up anyways." Katara argued.

Azula closed her eyes as she tried to find another way to approach her friend. "You're forcing the water."

Katara was about to retort, but she immediately closed her mouth when she couldn't think of a counter to what Azula had just said.

The firebender was petting Momo behind the ears. "Every time you try something new you get angry and try to force the water. Do you remember what I told you a few weeks ago. The morning on the day we went to the Southern Air Temple?"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"You've been watching me firebend too much and are trying to force the water to move. Keep in mind how water moves, it flows wherever it wants. Feel the water Katara. Water is part of you just like fire is part of me, I would never be able to control it if I didn't feel the fire."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"You told me I need to feel the water and that it was part of me like fire is to you." Katara responded.

"Have you been feeling the water?"

Katara looked at the ground while she hugged her knees. "No."

"Come on, get up." Azula stood up causing Momo to wake up and jump on her shoulder. The firebender held out her hand.

"Why?" Azula lifted Katara up.

"We're going to work on your waterbending. Just you and I." Azula walked closer to the river. "Okay, forget the water whip. Let's go back to the pushing and pulling of the water you were teaching Aang earlier. Go head and do it."

The waterbender got into position and was about to bend the water. "Oh, two more things Katara. One, you're not allowed to get angry with yourself. If I'm not angry you shouldn't be. And two, because it's night you should be able bend a lot stronger and easier than this morning."

"Okay." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Katara didn't move for a while, she was trying to listen and feel the water. Once she felt it she began to shift her weight back and forth creating the push and pull motion.

Azula smiled when she saw the water bend to the push and pull. She noticed how the bending seemed different now that Katara was concentrating and trying to become part of the water.

"Good, move on 'Streaming the Water'. Keep up the focus you have." Azula praised.

Katara opened her eyes and bended some of the water up and streamed the water around her. She felt the difference between the water streaming she did earlier and what she was doing now. She couldn't tell if it was because it was night or if it was because she was feeling the water.

"Much better Katara. Are you ready to try that giant wave?"

The waterbender took a deep breath as she gently guided the water back into the river. "I'm not sure yet. You were watching Aang and I earlier, right? So can you tell me what was the difference between what he was doing and what I was doing?"

"There was an obvious difference between you and Aang when making the wave. When you did it you were trying to force it and did not let the water flow. This is what you did."

The firebender brought her arms back and lifted it up slightly above her head. "You see how stiff I am?"

"Yes."

"Now this is what Aang did different." Azula brought her arms back again and lifted her arms as high as they could go.

"I see the difference. The second time you were more fluid and went with the motion until your body couldn't go any further."

"Correct. Aang was practically on the balls of his feet when he did it. You don't need to go that far to do the move correctly. Now go for it."

Katara took a deep breath and raised her arms like Azula demonstrated. However, the water did not come up like a wave it was a hug water bubble that burst, splashing both benders. She took a deep breath trying not to get angry at herself.

"I know what I did wrong. I didn't feel it. Let me try it again."

"I'm not going to stop you because you made a mistake. Though I do want you to control that wave. When Aang made his wave it wasn't controlled he washed our supplies down the river. If I'm correct you should be able to control the wave and decide when you want to move it."

She raised her arms again this time she felt the wave as it grew higher and higher. Katara took a step forward and pushed the wave down the river until it merged completely with the river again.

The waterbender looked over to Azula to see the firebender smiling and nodding.

"Keep practicing, Katara. I'll make dinner."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula woke with a start when she felt water splash her in the face. The one day she chose to sleep in she was awaken anyways at sunrise. She looked over to the river to see Katara still practicing varies waterbending moves.

"Katara?" Azula yawned before getting out of her sleeping bag. "Katara, were you up practicing all night?"

"Yes! Ever since I finally understood the feeling of water I can't help but feel like I'm flowing like water! I just can't stop bending."

"Ever heard of over practicing?"

"Well, yes, but look at this. This is why I couldn't sleep last night, this thought came to me when we were eating dinner."

The waterbender splashed huge volumes of water against a tree until the bark was soaked. She took a deep breath and blew on towards the water rapidly freezing it against the tree.

"Breath of Ice. That can actually come in handy."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

When Azula finally caught up to where Katara, Aang, and Jet were Katara had already frozen Jet to the tree.

"Why, Jet? I can't believe I trusted you. You lied to me… you're sick and I trusted you!"

Suddenly a signal birdcall was heard coming from the valley way. Azula saw Jet perk his lips getting ready to signal back. Before he could a big fireball barely flew past his face.

The Freedom Fighter froze when he saw the fire. Everyone looked over to see Azula still in her fighting stance.

"Fire. You're a firebender?" Jet questioned in disbelief. "Katara, she's a firebender."

"Oh give it a rest Jet. You're an idiot. I've known Katara and Sokka since we were children they know I'm a firebender. You were just too stupid to realize I was one, especially since you've been attacking people of the Fire Nation." Azula told off.

Jet struggled against the ice. "I trusted you!"

"Like Katara trusted you!" Azula argued. "You don't even deserve to live with what you've been doing."

"Good ahead and do it. You'll just prove that people of the Fire Nation only kill the innocents." Jet said smugly.

Azula looked at him hard. "You're wrong. Anyone is capable of killing the innocents, not just the Fire Nation. You were about to kill innocent people in that Earth Kingdom village that is occupied by Fire Nation colonials. If we ever cross paths with you again you better stay away from us, you don't want to know what I'll do to you if you don't."

"Heh, you talk big but you're words are empty. Your family must have destroyed countless lives. I bet your family is the one who started this war!"

The firebender snapped. She shot a fireball to the ground near Jet's feet surrounding the tree he was pinned to, Azula kept control of the fire not wanting to cause another forest fire.

Jet shivered as much as he could in the ice in fear. The last time he was this close to fire was when his village was burnt and his parents died. Because of the incident he was arsonphobic.

"My family is dead. The Fire Nation has destroyed my life too by murdering my family. I don't know if my family did start the war or not, but even the family of the Fire Lord suffers. Everyone suffers." Azula's anger was starting to get the best of her as the ice around Jet started to melt.

"But if it wasn't for the Fire Nation I would have never had the chance to live in the Southern Water Tribe. I would have never been able to meet all the friends I made. I would have never met Katara." Azula whispered the last part to herself.

Azula raised her eyes a bit when she thought she saw a spark of blue in her fire. It was only for a split second since her fire still burned it's natural color. The firebender took a deep breath as she dispersed her flames.

When her flames vanished, Jet dropped to his knees. He was breathing deeply trying to get control of himself again.

"Why? Why didn't you kill me?"

"I'm not like you Jet. No matter how furious I am at you for hurting Katara, for lying to us, and all the other things you did to us… I'd be no different than the other firebenders if I did kill you." Azula explained.

Jet looked over towards the valley. He didn't want the Fire Nation villagers to live. The Freedom Fighter Leader did what came to his mind. He whistled the signal. He had just finished the signal Azula had tackled him and began hitting him across the face.

"Azula! Azula, stop! Stop!" Aang shouted as he pulled the firebender off.

The blasting jelly had just exploded and water rushed down to the valley. The firebender tossed a fireball to the ground near Jet and had it surround the boy.

"Don't worry." Azula broke out of Aang's grip. "I'm not going to kill him. I'm keeping the fire under control. Jet is afraid of fire. This will keep him quiet."

"Azula enough." Sokka and Appa had just landed on top of the cliff. "Jet isn't going to be hurting anyone else. The villagers are safe."

The female warrior dropped her hand and her flames vanished. She turned away and walked over towards the Sky Bison.

Once everyone was in the saddle they took off away from the forest. "Azula, Jet doesn't look like he's waking up." Aang pointed out as they flew away.

"He's unconscious. You would be too if you greatest fear wouldn't go away." Azula quickly explained.

As they flew over the dam, they saw a lot of the Freedom Fighters being arrested by the Fire Nation and on the other side of the now big river were the Fire Nation colonials.

"Azula…" Katara started as she placed a hand on the firebender's shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine. Jet just pissed me off. Especially when he tried flirting with you." Azula blushed when she realized what she had just said out loud. "I mean… uh…"

"Don't worry about it. He was starting to tick me off with his flirting too." Katara leaned her head against the firebender's shoulder. "I still feel stupid for trusting him over Sokka and you."

"Well, you should feel stupid for not listening to me. As for Sokka, with all his 'my instincts tell me' business from two days ago, I don't blame you for not listening to him."

"Hey!" Sokka responded causing everyone to laugh.

"By the way Sokka, I thought you would go to the dam. Why did you go to the town?" Aang asked.

"Lemme guess." Katara said. "Your instincts told you."

"Hey, sometimes they're right."

"Sokka, you do realize you're currently leading us south right?" Azula asked.

The warrior tensed a little when he realized he was wrong, but he quickly recovered. "And sometimes they're wrong." He pulled on the reins directing Appa to go the opposite direction.

Everyone laughed. Katara lifted Azula's arm so that it was wrapping around her shoulders allowing the waterbender to snuggle onto the firebender's stomach. Azula blushed slightly when Katara wrapped her arms around Azula's torso. Realizing how uncomfortable Katara's position was, Azula laid down on her back in the saddle so Katara's head was using her stomach as a pillow.

It was that moment Katara realized she was falling for the firebender.


	9. The Fortuneteller

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 8: The Fortuneteller**

**Notes:** I had to rewatch 'The Blue Spirit' and 'The Fortuneteller' numerous times to capture the mood for this chapter. I am officially annoyed with majority of the episodes from Book 1. The only episodes I enjoy watching the most from Book 1 is 'The Waterbending Master' and 'Siege of the North Parts 1 & 2'. For those who are wondering we are now four chapters away from completing Book 1 of Golden Wolf Warrior.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters, except all the characters that were not in the series and this story.

* * *

A few days had passed. They were hiding out in the Ruins of Taku since Sokka had caught a cold. Azula and Aang were busy trying to find ginger roots for Sokka's tea.

"Aang, did you find any?" Azula asked.

"No, but I found a map of the area."

When they got back to everyone else Sokka was coughing hard. Katara had placed a wet cloth over his forehead to wipe the sweat off.

"This should bring your fever down."

"You know what I love most about Appa? His sense of humor." Sokka said feverishly. Appa groaned causing Sokka to laugh. "Classic Appa."

"How's Sokka doing?" Aang asked as he and Azula walked over to the rest of the group.

Aang went through explaining about the herbalist institute while Azula grabbed her swords from their pile of stuff near Appa's saddle. Katara began to cough. Almost immediately Azula was by her side.

The firebender placed a hand over Katara's forehead. Katara began coughing violently again. Azula grabbed both sides of Katara's face and pressed her lips on the other girl's forehead.

Katara was partially glad she was sick. No one was able to tell if she was flushed from being sick or was blushing.

"This isn't good Aang. She's starting to run a fever too. Trust me you don't need to be a firebender to tell either." Azula took off her anorak and wrapped it around Katara.

"Don't worry you two I'm fi-" Katara coughed even harder.

"No, you're not. That's how Sokka started yesterday. Now look at him… he's thinks he's an earthbender!" Sokka was busy hallucinating talking to a rock as if he was fighting it. "A few more hours and you'll be hallucinating too. I'm going to find you some medicine."

"Aang, I'm going with you." Azula got off of Appa.

"No, someone needs to look after them."

"Appa and Momo can. If I know the Fire Nation as well as I think I do, they will most likely be having soldiers around here. They're going to be after you more than they are with me. I'm going with you and that's final."

"Fine. But I need to carry you. I can get us to the institute faster."

Azula took out her sleeping bag and put it near Katara. "Come get some rest. We'll be back as soon as we can. Appa, Momo take care of them."

The firebender got on the airbender's back wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

"Fair warning Azula, you're going to need to hold on tight."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aang ran up the steps huffing and puffing at breakneck speed, carrying Azula was not helping him either. When they entered the herbal institute Azula immediately got off of Aang's back.

However, she fell to the ground. Her legs had gone numb. Aang went up to the herbalist and began talking quickly.

"Hello! We're sorry to barge in like this, but we need some medicine for our friends. They have fevers and they've been coughing and –"

"Settle down, young man. Your friends are going to be fine." The herbalist kept something in the bowl. "I've been up here for over forty years you know, used to be others, but they all left years ago."

Azula began to ignore the herbalist. She knew this was going to be a while before they got back to the ruins. "Aang, after today we are never doing this again."

"Agreed."

Suddenly Azula felt weight on her stomach. She looked at her stomach to see the cat staring back at her.

"Meow."

"Aw." Azula began petting the cat behind the ears.

A half an hour had gone by before the herbalist found what she was looking for. Azula sat up still holding Miyuki and placed the cat on top of the table.

"Here's what I've been looking for! Plum blossom!"

"Finally." Aang said. He ran to the woman and tries to take the bowl out of her hands. "Thanks for all your help!"

The herbalist whacked his hand with the wooden spoon. "Hands off. What do you think you're doing?"

Aang couldn't help but look frightened as he rubbed his hand. "Taking the cure to my friends!"

"This isn't a cure, it's Miyuki's dinner." The herbalist laughed. She placed the bowl in front of her cat that began to eat and purr. "Plum blossom is her favorite."

"What about our friends?" Azula asked.

"Well, all you need is some frozen wood frogs. There are plenty of them down in the valley swamp."

"What are we supposed to do with frozen frogs?" Aang asked.

"Why, suck of them of course!" Azula couldn't believe how the woman made it seem like that was an obvious answer.

"Suck on them?" the two benders questioned.

The herbalist turned to look specifically at Azula. "The frog's skin excretes a substance that'll cure your friends, but make sure you get plenty. Once those little critters thaw out, they're useless!"

A few moments passed in silence before Azula spoke. "You're insane aren't you?"

"Thaaat's right."

The firebender's arms were shaking, as she tried not to firebend her anger towards the insane woman.

"Well, don't stand there all day. Go!" She tossed a bunch of green goo onto Aang's face.

Azula grabbed Aang by the back of his collar and dragged him out of the hut. "Come one the faster we grab those frogs the faster we can cure Sokka and Katara."

The two began running out of the hut when two arrows nearly hit them. Before they knew it a hail of arrows were coming at them. Both Aang and Azula created a sphere of their element to protect themselves from the arrows.

Aang picked one of them up from the ground. "Uhh, I think you dropped this."

"What makes you think they dropped it? They're attacking us. Aang, run." Azula grabbed the airbender and started running towards the cliff. She turned around a few times to shoot fireballs at the archers.

Just as they were about to reach the edge of the cliff, Aang reversed Azula's grab onto her and yanked the firebender forcing her to get on his back. He jumped over the edge causing them to fall off the edge and into the trees. As they kept falling, the branches beat them repeatedly. Aang jumped from trunk to trunk avoiding the arrows.

When he finally got them to ground level Azula jumped off the airbender's back and shoved him into the swamp. "Aang, get the frozen frogs. I'll hold them off."

She turned to face the woods. Swords were drawn out. Azula used her swords to extend the distance her fire would fly through the air. She spotted the arrows aiming towards Aang. The firebender naturally sliced the air sending arcs of fire into the arrows direction disintegrating them before the got near the airbender.

Azula repeated the same moves until an arrow hit her sword just right to knock it out of her hand. As she raised her arm that had the second half of her swords, five arrows caught in her sleeve just barely hitting her skin and pinned her to a near by fallen tree. When her arm made impact with the tree she dropped her sword.

The firebender struggled to get her arm out, but didn't have time when the archers aimed their arrows toward Aang. With her arm pinned she did a crescent kick towards the archers sending an arc of fire towards them. Azula used the opportunity to firebend the arrows. Since they arrows were pinned to her sleeve she wound up burning the sleeve off.

"Aang!" Azula sent several fireballs to the archers, as she got closer to the airbender. "Please say you grabbed enough frogs."

"Yes, let's get out of here."

Both benders dropped into a horse stance creating another sphere of their natural element. The air and fire sphere combined together into one, creating a bigger sphere. To avoid getting hurt the archers back away and covered their eyes from the fire's light.

The airbender forced Azula onto his back again as he ran back towards the Ruins of Taku as fast as the wind. When the spheres finally died out, the Yu Yen archers immediately began tracking their targets again.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

When Aang arrived back at the ruins he dropped Azula and began gathering everything.

"What's going on?" Katara asked weakly. "Why is Aang packing?"

"Because we need to get out of here. Aang and I are being chased by highly skilled Fire Nation archers." Azula quickly explained as she took two frozen frogs from Aang.

"Azula, I told Aang earlier. Sokka is in no condition to travel."

"Neither are you but we have to. You two can rest in Appa's saddle while Aang and I make sure we get to safety. Here suck on this." Azula gently placed a frozen frog in Katara's mouth.

"Hey, hey Azula did you know Katara was a princess? She kept talking about you while you were gone." Sokka said feverishly.

"That's nice." Azula shoved the frog in the warrior's mouth to give him the idea he should stop talking before he annoyed her enough with his hallucinations.

"Okay ready to go. Let's get them into the saddle."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After a couple of hours of flying, Aang landed Appa near a huge river. Aang and Azula quickly set up the tent for Sokka and Katara. Before they got the two Water Tribe siblings into the tent, the frogs began to thaw out.

"Mmmm! This is tasty! Mmm!" Sokka commented as the frog thawed out in his mouth.

He and Katara kept sucking on their thawed frogs until it began to move and croak. The two Water Tribe siblings immediately spat the frogs out and began to cough and spit. There was more croaking coming from Aang's shirt as he wiggled around.

"The frogs are tickling me." Aang laughed. Slowly all the frogs made their way out of Aang's shirt and hopped their way to freedom.

Azula place a hand on Katara's back as she tried guiding the waterbender into the tent. "Come on Princess. You need more rest." Azula joked.

"Yeah, okay." Katara wobbled her way to stand but immediately fell over. Azula had barely caught her on time.

"Here, I'll help you. Hold onto my arm." The firebender grabbed hold of one of Katara's hands and lifted the girl up.

Just as Katara stood up again she lost her balance and grabbed hold of Azula's arm that was bare. Azula winced in pain trying to keep herself from yelling. Katara felt rough skin under her hand and looked at the firebender's arm.

"Spirits! Azula you're burnt! We need to treat your arm."

"No, Katara, we need you to get some more rest. I'll take care of it once you're asleep." Azula objected.

"No. I'm better than I was earlier, besides all you would do is wash it and nothing else. You need to apply proper ointments. Sit."

"I'll be fine, Katara, go rest." Azula tried insisting.

"Azula, sit!" Katara replied forcefully.

The firebender immediately obeyed by sitting on the nearest rock. She wouldn't admit it but she was scared of Katara when the waterbender got angry.

Katara walked around the camp area searching for the items she needed. She placed a box of ointments and bandages near Azula while she went to the river to get a bucket of water.

"Azula please heat the water up."

The female warrior did what was asked. She placed her hand on the bucket and used her firebending to heat the water. When the water was hot enough, Katara dipped a towel into the bucket. She twisted the towel extracting most of the water.

"This is going to sting a little." Katara warned as she place the towel on the firebender's arm.

Azula placed her left had over her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. She couldn't believe had badly she had injured herself. She thought she had more self control, but she couldn't even prevent herself from being burned by her own fire.

The process was repeated several more times until Katara was positive the wound was clean. She grabbed a strange leaf from the ointment box. It was a leaf Azula had never seen before.

"What is that?" Azula asked as Katara cut one inch of the tip of the leaf off.

There was green ooze coming out of it. Azula subconsciously move her arm away from the plant. Katara grabbed the firebender's arm without looking and forcing it closer to the plant.

"From what the doctor in Omashu told me it's called 'aloe vera'. It's supposed to help with wound and burn healing along with minor skin infection." Katara placed the ooze over Azula's burns and rubbed it around the whole burn mark.

"That hurts!" Azula exclaimed.

"Stop complaining you big baby. From what I saw when we were younger, you burned yourself much worse than this and didn't complain. Don't touch your arm."

Katara wrapped the remained of the aloe veda leaf in a cloth so the ooze wouldn't spill all over the other ointments. Before grabbing the bandage wraps she turned to the firebender.

"Do you plan on sleeping?"

Azula looked up from her arm. "Yes."

"Okay, I'm going to wrap your arm then. But, when you wake up we need to remove the bandages. That way your skin will get some air and heal faster since it's not infected anymore." Katara carefully wrapped the bandage around Azula's arm. She didn't want to cut off the circulation to the firebender's arm.

"Katara."

"Yes?"

"… Thank you."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

A few days had passed since the teens left the Ruins of Taku. They hadn't moved locations since Appa landed. No matter how well they were doing after sucking frozen wood frogs, Azula and Aang agreed they didn't want to take the chance of Sokka and Katara getting worse if they continued traveling.

They were all sitting around the dead fire pit going amongst their own business. Katara was watching Azula welding the metal hook back together. Azula was using one of Katara's sewing needles and firebending to heat the metal up so she could merge them together.

"How much longer until you finish fixing it?"

"Can't really say. I'm being extra careful because I know how important this necklace is to you. I'm making sure I fix it to the way it used to be or better."

"How's your arm?"

"Fine, but the itching is unbearable. At least the cream you rubbed on my arm is helping with the itching problem."

Katara smiled. She reached for her neck where the necklace should be. Azula stopped what she was doing and looked at the waterbender. Without thinking Azula immediately removed her own necklace and handed it to Katara.

"Here. Wear mine. At least until I finish your necklace." Azula went back to working on Katara's necklace.

"Thank you." She tied the necklace she had made for the firebender around her neck.

Suddenly they heard a loud splash coming from the river. Everyone looked over to see a big green fish jump high out of the water.

"Look!" Katara exclaimed.

The fished jumped again. Sokka paid close attention to the river waiting for the fish. When the fish finally jumped he gave a smug look towards the male warrior.

"He is taunting us." Sokka observed. The fish kept jumping out of the river irritating Sokka. "You are so going to be dinner!"

Azula looked up from the necklace again to see the fish jump out of the water. She rolled her eyes as she went back to work. "Sokka is just going to hurt himself. That's a Se Tu fish, the smartest fish in the world."

"I heard that!" Sokka shouted. "Stupid fish, I'll show you." He grabbed his fishing pole and tried casting it a few times with no luck.

"Hey, what happened to my fishing line?"

Aang suddenly sat up. "Oh, oops. I forgot to tell you it kind of got tangled back in the Ruins of Taku and I was in a rush so… I broke it."

Sokka screamed in frustation. The Se Tu fish jumped out of the lake again. The male warrior tossed his fishing pole, as it was a spear, into the water. However, the Se Tu fish had survived and jumped out of the water to gloat.

"Stop taunting me!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Rain was stilling lightly coming down as they walked into the village. The village was at the base of a snow-topped mountain. When they entered a group of Turkey Ducks were quacking at them. Azula had to hold onto Momo before he tried picking a fight with the Turkey Ducks.

Katara was ahead of everyone leading them to a circular door where a man was standing.

"Aunt Wu is expecting you." The man said as he bowed and gestured to the door. He opened the door allowing the four teens to walk in. "Please remove your shoes."

Just as the door came to closed a young girl walked out to greet them. "My name is Meng and I'm Aunt Wu's assistant. Well, hello there."

Azula eyed Meng. She looked to see where the young girl was looking only to see Aang. The firebender mouthed an 'oh' realizing Meng had a crush on Aang.

Meng gestured to the pillows for them to sit on. Since there was only three out Azula sat down on one cushioned bench closets to Katara. "Can I get you some tea, or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?" Meng asked mainly towards Aang.

"Do you guys have jasmine?" Azula asked.

The young girl quickly put her hand out towards the firebender. "Just a second." Meng continued to flirt with Aang not realizing how irritated Azula was.

"Calm down. She's just a kid." Katara said grabbing hold of one of Azula's hands.

"A bratty one." Azula mumbled.

When Meng left everyone began looking around. "I can't believe we're here in the house of nonsense."

Azula laid herself down on the bench trying to block out Sokka's complaining. She was drowsy from all the rain that was pouring. The last time she felt this tired was a week ago during the storm when they were in the Fishing Village. Suddenly Azula felt someone looming over her. When she opened her eyes she saw a late middle-aged woman in vibrant yellow robes looking down at her.

"Water is your natural opposite. Perhaps a fire reading for you child?"

"Thanks but no thanks. No offense, but I'm not into any fortunetelling. Have Katara go first. I'll just have some jasmine tea if you have any."

"I think we can have that arranged. But only if you do me one favor after you're done drinking."

"And that is…?"

"Swirl your cup three times with your non-dominant hand and turn the cup over onto the saucer." Aunt Wu turned her attention to Katara. "Come along."

After a few minutes Meng came along with Azula's tea. She smiled towards Aang before walking off.

"So…" Aang started. "What do you think they're talking about back there?"

"Boring stuff, I'm sure. Love. Who she's going to marry. How many babies she's gonna have."

Azula thought about what Sokka had said and slightly hoped that Aunt Wu would predict something about her to Katara. However, her mood changed quickly when she saw how worried and squeamish Aang had become at Sokka's comments.

"Yeah… dumb stuff like that." He bit his nails a bit. "Well, I've gotta find a bathroom!" Aang ran out of the room towards the direction Katara and Aunt Wu went.

"The bathroom, riiight…" Azula whispered sarcastically to herself as she also got up.

When she turned the corner she saw Aang obviously trying to be quiet so he could eavesdrop on Katara and Aunt Wu. Azula also stayed quiet so she could sneak up on Aang and drag him away from the screen door without alarming Aunt Wu and Katara. If they were caught Katara would be furious at them.

"Your palms are so smooth… do you use moisturizer?" They heard Aunt Wu asked.

"Actually, I have this special seaweed lotion. I could get you some if you like want." With each second went by the closer Azula got to Aang. "So, do you see anything in my love line?"

The firebender froze. She really did not want to be here. Azula respects the idea of keeping the confidentially between the teller and customer even though she didn't believe in fortunetelling. This was a private conversation that was not to be repeated unless Katara chose to tell them. She was also worried of being heart broken if what Aunt Wu tells Katara has nothing to do with her love for the waterbender.

"I see a great romance for you."

Azula quickly grabbed Aang's collar and clamped her opened hand over his mouth to silence him as she quickly dragged him away. She didn't want to hear the rest of it what Aunt Wu had to say to Katara. Whatever is said will be between the teller and the customer.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Huh? That's strange. It's not a man you are going to marry." The fortuneteller looked closer at the girl's love line. She saw something different about this girl's palm compared to the others. "Do you have a special woman in mind?" Aunt Wu asked giving Katara a reassuring smile.

Katara blushed. "Yes."

Aunt Wu's smile grew. She quickly realized the waterbender had feelings for Azula.

"I'm sure you'll be happy to know that she is going to be a very powerful bender."

"Wait if she's going to be a powerful bender wouldn't that make her a him? Aang is the Avatar, the most powerful bender in the world." Katara asked.

"I didn't say 'the most powerful bender.' I said 'very powerful bender'. I'm sure she is going to be just as strong as the Avatar. Come on its time for me to predict your friends' futures."

When Aunt Wu and Katara arrived back to the waiting room to see Sokka and Aang trying to stay as far away from Azula as possible.

"What did you two do?" Katara accused the two boys.

They didn't try to answer. They were afraid whatever they say will cause the firebender to shoot fireballs at them.

"Long story short we had a very nice chat about etiquette." Azula replied before taking a sip of her tea.

"Since you're friend doesn't want to have her fortune read… who's next?" Aunt Wu asked as she carefully eyed the firebender as she drank her tea.

Sokka stood up. "Okay, let's get this over with."

The fortuneteller looked unhappily at the male warrior. "Your future is full of struggle and anguish, most of it self-inflicted."

"But you didn't read my palms or anything!"

"I don't need to… it's written all over your face." Aunt Wu replied bluntly.

Azula began coughing as she choked on her tea. When she stopped coughing she began to laugh. "I'm sorry but I can see that prediction coming true."

"I guess that leaves me." Aang walked up to Aunt Wu. The two walked away to Aunt Wu's fortunetelling room.

Katara sat down next to Azula and leaned up against the firebender. "You seem to be in a happy mood." The firebender observed.

"That's because I received a wonderful fortune. Are you sure you don't want yours told?"

"Where's the fun of knowing what's going to happen to you?" Azula took one big gulp finishing her tea. "That hit the spot."

"You seem to like jasmine tea a lot."

The smile Azula had on her face faded a little. "It was my uncle and cousin's favorite, and it was that last tea I had with Lu Ten before he was killed." Azula swirled her teacup with her non-dominant hand and turned the cup over onto the saucer.

Before Katara could say anything, Aunt Wu and Aang returned.

"Okay, since everyone is done let's head out." Sokka urged. The four teens got up and began putting their shoes back on.

Aunt Wu lifted up Azula's cup and examined the tealeaves. "I see. You had a very tragic experience early in your childhood."

Azula stopped abruptly. Aunt Wu continued to read Azlua's tealeaves. "But don't worry, you're blessed by the moon and sun. The moon is full… romance is ahead of you. And the sun represents happiness, success, and power."

The fortuneteller saw the firebender slowly turned around to glare at her. Aunt Wu knew this was going to happen. She purposely tricked Azula into having her fortune told. "There are many ways to tell ones fortune young firebender. Tealeaf reading is one of them. That is why I asked you to swirl your cup and turn it upside when you were finished. I suspect great things can come from you."

"That's it we're leaving this village now!" Azula exclaimed.

Everyone knew not to argue with the firebender.


	10. The Bounty Hunter

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 9: The Bounty Hunter**

**Note:** This chapter took me a while to write because I had to re-watch 'Bato of the Water Tribe' numerous times to figure out. There was no way I could have a chapter focused on that because I'd just be repeating the show. Finally after talking to a good friend who is like a little sister to me (and said person is someone I made sure I made an Avatard knowing she would love the series), I suddenly came up with the idea of having a chapter focused on the antagonists. Especially Princess Cazu, since she will be meeting Team Avatar in the future. Though personally (and you'll see later in the story) I don't think of Cazu as an antagonist.

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

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Azula walked through the village annoyed. Like Sokka she couldn't believe how many people were putting their lives in the hand of one old woman. She was more annoyed at how Katara convinced her to have them stay a while longer.

"She is going to be the end of me." Azula mumbled as she turned the corner.

The firebender smiled when she saw Katara at a fruit stand, but like many times before her smile quickly faded when she saw Aang walking up to the waterbender. Azula couldn't understand why he kept trying when it was obvious Katara had no interest for him. She walked up behind Katara causing Aang to walk the other direction away from Azula and Katara.

"Ugh. Papaya please."

"Papaya? Katara, you hate papaya." Azula pointed out.

"I know, but Aunt Wu-"

"Argh! I don't want to hear anything more about that woman. You hate papaya and I'm not going to let you force yourself to eat it because of that woman! Give me that." Azula forcefully took the fruit out of the waterbenders hands and gave it back to the fruit stand merchant. "We'll take a mango instead."

"Azula!" Katara protested.

"No. I'm not going to let you become like these villagers. You're forbidden to go see Aunt Wu again. I forbid you to see her." Azula exclaimed as she took the mango from the merchant and walked away.

"Are you trying to get on my bad side?" The waterbender was irritated at how Azula was ordering her.

"I'm not trying to get on your bad side. I don't want to see you be like them. You're becoming obsessed with these fortunes. You're better than that. I love you when you make decisions on your own and think of some of these amazing ideas I know you have. I prefer that over some mindless person who depends on others to tell them what to do."

Katara blushed at the firebender's compliment. She was also blushing because Azula said, "I love you" even though it wasn't those three words by themselves.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Where did you learn to redirect heat?" Sokka asked as they flew away from Makapu Village.

"It's going to sound weird, but I heard a voice telling me how to do redirect the lava's heat. Redirecting the heat felt really familiar, as if I've done it before." Azula explained.

"You just keep getting weirder and weirder." Sokka screamed as a fireball flew over his head just barely missing him.

Aang looked over his shoulder at Azula. "I may be wrong, but isn't redirecting heat a very advance firebending move?"

"I don't know Aang. I would assume so since it's hard to control the fire's heat. But to redirect the heat is something different. It just felt natural."

"May be another connection to Roku?" Aang guessed.

Azula groaned. "I'm starting to get annoyed with how everything you think I do has something to do with my great-grandfather. What if I'm just as powerful because of me not because of him? Besides the voice did not sound like Roku, it was much deeper and not as warm."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Two days had gone by since the Yu Yen archers lost track of the Avatar and his friends. All they had to bring back to the recently promoted Admiral Zhao were Azula's two broadswords.

"No Avatar. No traitor. All I have is that girl's damn swords!" Zhao threw Azula's swords across the room smashing it against the nearby wall.

Zhao and his crew were preparing to set sail back to the Fire Nation capital. Fire Lord Akuzo summoned him to a war meeting the Fire Lord was going to hold upon the Admiral's return to discuss on their next attack. The Admiral knew exactly what their next attack should be and he knew that the Fire Lord, Generals, and Admirals would agree with him.

"Admiral Zhao!" One soldier ran up to the admiral. "Admiral, there's a woman and a beast attacking one of our ships!"

"What?" Zhao and the soldier walked out of the tent.

He saw woman riding a Shirshu. The woman had just placed Earth Kingdom low-life onto the back of her Shirshu and was about the leave.

"Halt!" Zhao commanded. "You're beast damaged one of my ships. You are in my debt."

"Yeah, right. It's not my fault your crew allowed a stowaway onto it to begin with. I'm not paying you back. Not even a copper piece." The bounty hunter started directing her Shirshu the other direction.

The admiral shot a fireball towards the Shirshu's feet. "Money was not what I had in mind. Your Shirshu can find anyone correct?"

"What of it?"

"I want you to find someone for me. Two people actually, the Avatar and a Fire Nation traitor in Water Tribe clothes. When you find them and bring them to me I'll pay you two times your weight in gold." Zhao smirked.

The bounty hunter quickly thought it over. "Make it three times my weight and you got a deal."

Zhao nodded in agreement before ordering one of his men to retrieve the swords. If anyone could find the Avatar and his friends it was going to be the Shirshu. The soldier bowed to Zhao as the swords were passed from the admiral to the bounty hunter.

"Keep the swords. I'm sure the owner would appreciate their return." Zhao said sarcastically.

The woman took hold of the swords and held it out to her Shirshu's nose. The Shirshu took a good whiff of the swords before starting to track for the scent. The bounty hunter had just gotten onto the saddle before the Shirshu took off leaving the Fire Nation port.

"Admiral Zhao. How can you trust that bounty hunter to capture the Avatar?" Colonel Shinu asked.

"I don't." Zhao gave a signal with his hand. Riding Ostrich Horses the Yu Yen's took after the bounty hunter. "This ensures will be getting both the Avatar and the traitor. Have all the soldiers move the cargo from the destroyed ship onto a new one. Pronto, if they're not done in an hour we're leaving without them."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The Yu Yen archers followed the bounty hunter to a tavern several towns away from Pohuai Stronghold. They waited outside for the hunter to finish her business of dropping off the bounty she captured.

An old man laughed as he and the bounty hunter walked out of the tavern. "June, I swear you and Nyla have to be the best bounty hunters in the whole world!"

June smiled at the compliment as she tied the sack of gold into one of the pouches of Nyla's saddle.

"Your father would be proud of the two of you."

"I know. Well got to go. Have two more bounties to capture. You see those archers over there?" She pointed towards the Yu Yen. "Their boss ordered them to follow me as if I can't capture his bounties without their help."

The old man laughed again. "I know you and Nyla will succeed without a doubt! Safe travels June."

The bounty hunter held the broadswords out to Nyla's nose again so he could get a fresh scent. She immediately jumped on the Shirshu's saddle and sprinted northwest with the Yu Yen archers closely behind.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After four days of quick sailing from Pohuai Stronghold to the Fire Nation capital, Admiral Zhao briskly walked through the palace heading directly towards the Fire Lord's war room. He didn't even bother resting. Zhao had sent word to the Fire Lord that he would be ready for the meeting the day he arrived to the capital.

Zhao pushed the curtains to the war room forcefully as he entered. Fire Lord Akuzo was seated at his throne platform, as the other generals and admirals were sitting on the cushions on the ground closer to the map of the world. Being the newest admiral Zhao would be seated the furthest from the Fire Lord.

When he didn't see any spot on the floor for him to sit, he looked up at Fire Lord Akuzo in confusion. All the other generals and admirals looked grimly at the map knowing why there wasn't a spot for the new admiral.

"Admiral Zhao, I want you to seat up here on the platform as my right hand." Akuzo announced.

The new admiral smiled smugly as he walked past his superiors to sit at the Fire Lord's right hand. Zhao walked up the platform stairs proudly and bowed to Fire Lord Akuzo before sitting.

"We will begin this meeting in a few minutes when Princess Cazu arrives."

Just as the Fire Lord finished the curtains to the war room separated revealing Princess Cazu. All the generals and admirals, excluding Zhao, shifted in their seats to bow with their foreheads touching the ground to show respect as the princess passed them.

"Princess Cazu, welcome." Akuzo gestured to the spot at his left.

Like Zhao, Cazu walked up the platform steps and bowed to her father before sitting on his left hand. Her face didn't show it, but she was irritated at her father. Ever since he declared himself Fire Lord he had ignored her and would only ask for her if he needed her. Cazu wanted to yell at her father, but she knew it would only end badly. It would end with her fighting in an Agni Kai against her father.

"Now that we're all here, General Shu, your report."

"Thank you my lord." General Shu bowed his head before standing up. "As we know we've been attacking the Earth Kingdom for nearly a hundred years, especially towards the walls of Ba Sing Se. I recommend that we set our sights for Omashu."

"Hmm… interesting. I like that idea. Omashu is the second largest city in the Earth Kingdom. If we conquer Omashu we will have bigger support in the Earth Kingdom. What do you think War Minister Qin?"

"I find the idea very beneficial to our success. As you know I have a mechanist up in the Northern Air Temple who in exchange for his freedom and safety he is making our machines to use against the other nations. It would be best for us to have a base for us to attack from away from the Northern Air Temple and that way we can try out our new machines closer to Ba Sing Se." Qin explained.

"Alright then. General Shu, I'm granting you permission to assemble an army to invade Omashu. Admiral Zhao, you've mentioned to me before of your plan to invade the Northern Water Tribe. Please explain some more of your plan." Akuzo directed.

Zhao stood up and bowed before stepping down the platform. "I've told Fire Lord Akuzo this several times in the past. When I was young Lieutenant serving under our General Shu in the Earth Kingdom, I discovered a hidden library, underground in fact, in the Si Wong Desert. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words 'moon' and 'ocean'.

"I found out that the Moon and Ocean spirits have giving up their immortality and mortal forms living in our world. The scroll contains the locations of both the Moon and Ocean spirit in the Northern Water Tribe. If we can arrange a massive attack on the Northern Water Tribe, I have no doubt we can distract them as I get rid of the Moon spirit." Zhao explained.

"Why just kill the Moon spirit? Why not both spirits?" One of the higher-ranking admirals asked.

"Because the waterbenders draw their power from the moon." Cazu explained.

Everyone turned their attention to the Fire Nation princess. "Like us firebenders, we draw our power from the sun. Water is our opposite. So the opposite from the sun is the moon. By getting rid of the moon the waterbenders become powerless. Am I right, Admiral Zhao?"

"You are very right, Princess. Fire Lord Akuzo, you've wanted to eliminate the Water Tribe since the beginning of your reign. We have a chance to eliminate them now!"

Akuzo looked over towards his daughter. He was upset that she spoke out of turn, but would do nothing of it since she had contributed information. "I will think it over some more. For now let's focus on conquering Omashu. This meeting is adjourned."

All the admirals and generals, including Zhao, bowed towards their Fire Lord and Princess before walking out of the war room. When the curtain stopped moving Akuzo turned his attention to Cazu.

"I don't ever want you to speak out of turn again. You may be the Princess, but my Generals and Admirals have more experience on the battlefield. You are here to listen and learn. When you are allowed to speak I will let you know. Dismissed."

Cazu got up from her seat and walked as quickly as she politely could out of the war room. When she exited she saw the generals and admirals talking amongst each other. She briskly walked away from the war room towards the Turtle Duck pond in one of the many courtyards of the palace.

Ever since she was crowned Princess of the Fire Nation she had seen one of her servants more in one week than she has her father in nine years. When she was little she always came out to the Turtle Duck pond. It was here did she find company from the Turtle Ducks.

"Princess Cazu." Cazu looked up from the pond to see one of her personal servants. "A letter came in for you during the war meeting. It's from one of our colonies in the Earth Kingdom. I think it's from your special someone." The servant winked before walking off to continue her work.

The princess blushed knowing fully well who the letter was from now. She carefully unrolled the letter and read through it. While reading she inhaled the sweet aroma of the incense that merged with the paper. Cazu smile kept getting bigger and bigger the more she read. She read the letter three times before looking up to the sky.

"Believe me Ty. If I could, I would have visited you a long time ago."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"The spirits of water bear witness to these marks. For Sokka, the mark of the wise, the same mark your father earned." Bato marked Sokka's forehead before moving onto Katara. "For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us."

Azula smiled when Bato marked Katara's forehead. She briefly had a flashback of when Tsukihiro, Teruko and herself earned their marks. The firebender smiled wider when Bato moved in front of Aang. Earning her mark of the trusted was one of the best things of her life. She became part of the tribe.

"And for Aang, the mark of the trusted. The same mark Azula earned. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe."

Aang looked down to the ground. "I can't."

"Of course you can!" Katara exclaimed.

"No, you can't trust me." Aang backed away while rubbing the mark off of his forehead hanging his head even lower.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aang sat on Appa's head while Azula was in the saddle finishing the touches to Katara's necklace. Azula was upset with how quickly Katara and Sokka wanted to abandon Aang because he tried keeping them from seeing Hakoda.

"Good luck." Wished to Aang and Azula. Katara looked at the firebender sadly. Azula's back was to her causing Katara to feel bad about going with Bato and Sokka.

"I guess we should be leaving now shouldn't we?" Aang asked the Superior Nun.

"That would be best."

With a quick shake in the reigns Appa began walking out of the Abbey. "I'm such an idiot, Azula!"

Azula didn't say anything as she finished the last touches to the necklace. Once she was sure it was going to stay she placed the necklace in her pocket.

"I can understand your reaction and their reaction. You were worried they would leave you to go see Hakoda, and that's understandable they gave the impression that they were going to drop everything just to go see him.

"Sokka and Katara hadn't seen him two years. They hadn't even heard from him or the other men in two years. But, you didn't give them the credit they deserved. They knew getting you to the North Pole is more important than seeing Hakoda right now." Azula climbed out of Appa's saddle to sit on his head with Aang. "They're being irrational right now. I miss Hakoda just as much as they do, but I'm making sure you get to the North Pole."

Aang smiled. "Isn't Hakoda like a father to you?"

"Yeah… he is. He never pushed me but I think he's been hoping I would call him 'dad' ever since I became part of the tribe. For years, I've tried so hard to remember my parents' faces, but whenever I do… I only see Hakoda and Kya. They've never treated me differently from Sokka and Katara."

Two benders didn't speak as they continued their way through the woods.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The two water tribe teens jumped when the Shirshu jumped out of the woods in front of them. June looked over at the two when Nyla brought his nose up to Katara's neck. He was sniffing Azula's necklace.

"Hmm… I'm pretty sure that admiral said it was a Fire Nation traitor not a Water Tribe girl. Then again Nyla smelled that same scent on a cat." June said dryly towards the two.

"You're after Azula?" Katara panicked.

"I don't care to know the names of my bounties, but since you know her. You can save me the trouble of finding her." June cracked her whip causing Nyla to shoot his tongue out towards the teens, paralyzing them.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The Yu Yen archers positioned themselves over the Abbey away from view. They were waiting for the Avatar and Fire Nation traitor to appear. Suddenly a group of them were knocked out of their hiding spot causing the other archers to look at one another in confusion. As they were about to focus their attention back to the Abbey, fireballs were shot at them.

Azula made sure to pay close attention for the archers. "That was for attacking me a week ago!" She readied herself waiting for them to shoot arrows at her.

Aang was gliding above the Abbey about to attack the other archers when all of a sudden Nyla busted through the Abbey's doors a second time. Azula lost her focus from the archers as Nyla was running up to her. She instinctively ran away from the Shirshu only to have his tongued lashing towards her. While running after Azula, Sokka and Katara managed to fall off of Nyla's saddle.

Nyla's tongued lashed out as far as it could just barely hitting Azula's leg causing her to fall to the ground hard. Because of her momentum, she slid across the ground slamming into a near by wall. With her leg paralyzed she couldn't do much. Just as Nyla was about to strike Azula again, Aang came crashing down to the ground using his staff to create a giant air current smashing Nyla and June into a near by wall.

Two of the nuns had dragged Sokka and Katara over to Azula, keeping them away from the battlefield. "Aang! That thing sees with its nose." Sokka shouted.

June cracked her whip commanding Nyla to get up. Once he was up he started charging towards Azula. Aang created his air scooter whisking him close to Nyla's nose so the Shirshu would catch his scent instead of Azula's. With the fresh new scent Nyla naturally followed Aang completely ignoring Azula.

"I get that it was can see and track with it's nose. How was the Shirshu able to track Azula? There's now way she could have anything with Azula's scent." Katara questioned.

Azula's eyes widened. "She initially didn't have my scent. But those archers did! I lost my swords when they attacked Aang and I back when you and Sokka were sick. I knew it! They are working with the Fire Nation." She suddenly saw some of the archers aiming towards Aang.

As best as she could Azula got up and shot a series of fireballs towards the archers before falling to the ground again. "Argh! I am hating the fact one of my legs is paralyzed!"

Miraculously the Superior had come out of one of the broken walls and forced the three teens to sniff out of a bottle curing the paralysis. By this time Nyla, June, and the archers had surrounded Aang.

"That thing sees with it's nose right, Sokka?" Azula asked.

"Right. So let's give it something to look at!"

"The perfume?" The Superior asked.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

With all the archers and June paralyzed it was easy for the nuns and the four travelers to tie them up and leave them near a town where they can be picked up by the Fire Nation. It took several hours to go to a near by Fire Nation colony and back to the Abbey, giving Appa enough to time inhale all the paralysis perfume cure needed to recover.

"Safe travels to you." The Superior wished them as they bid farewell to each other.

Once in the air everyone let out a big sigh. "Let's hope to never experience that again!" Sokka groaned as he stretched. "Hey, what are you smiling about Azula?"

"Even if it wasn't for that bounty hunter I knew you two would return."

"Getting rather confident aren't you?" Katara teased as she leaned her head on Azula's shoulder.

"That's because I have a good reason to be confident. You see at some point you would have remembered that I still have your necklace in my possession. And of course Sokka, being a very protective big brother that he is, would not have let you come back alone." Azula explained confidently. "I'm glad you did because it is about time that your necklace was returned to you."

Katara suddenly felt something dangle around her neck. Azula held the necklace around the waterbender's neck showing everyone the necklace looking exactly like it had before it broke. Katara gasped as she quickly took off Azula's and was about to tie her necklace until she stopped and handed it to Azula.

"Please?" Katara asked softly.

The firebender felt her heart melt with how innocent Katara made only one word sound heavenly. She took the necklace and tied it around the waterbender's neck. Once the necklace was tied, Katara brought her hand up to the pendent and felt the familiar carving.

Azula had just barely gotten her own necklace around her neck before being tackled to the center of the saddle. Katara wrapped her arms around Azula's neck, hugging her tightly.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Before anyone realized Katara kissed Azula on the cheek and was hugging the firebender tightly again. Azula buried her face into Katara's shoulder silently thanking the spirits as she blushed.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

As Cazu was getting ready for bed, the same servant who had given her Ty Lee's letter earlier that day walked in.

"Princess, one of the other servants found this out in the marketplace. She was showing it to the other servants for gossip, when I saw it I thought you would have wanted to see it."

The princess took the rolled up paper from her servant's hand. "Thank you, Zeng." Zeng bowed and left the princess' room immediately.

Cazu sat on her bed as she unrolled the paper. When she opened it she saw a wanted poster. Not just any wanted poster, a wanted poster of a Fire Nation traitor.

"Wanted, by order of the Fire Lord: Traitor to the Fire Nation. She is a firebender in Water Tribe clothes and is likely to be found with the Avatar. Permission is granted to kill on sight. Caution: Highly skilled with broadswords and firebending." Cazu read outloud.

She rolled up the wanted poster and placed it on her bedside table. "A firebender from the Water Tribe huh?" Cazu smiled as she began plotting how to get out of the Fire Nation capital in her father's good graces to track the wanted firebender. "Whoever she is, I will find her."


	11. The Deserter

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 10: The Deserter**

**Notes: **We're coming close to the end of Book 1 in Golden Wolf Warrior. Two more chapters and then we'll be moving on to Book 2. You'll find this chapter written a little differently. It is done on purpose.**  
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**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

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When they walked into town they realized they were out of place. Nearly everyone was wearing masks.

"I think we need some new disguises." Katara pointed out.

"Where are we gonna get masks like that?" Sokka asked annoyingly.

Azula looked around. "Over there." Everyone turned their attention to Azula's direction. There was a stall selling masks.

"You just love proving me wrong don't you?

"You make it too easy."

She picked of a half-face red dragon mask and put it on.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

They spent the last hour wondering around the town seeing the different events and activities that was happening. Finally they sat on a bench near a fountain resting a bit. Azula's eyes wandered to one small Fire Nation girl who was with her parents and her older brother.

She began to picture the little girl as herself when she was the girl's age and it being her family here. Azula couldn't remember ever doing this with her family or if they even did. The firebender snapped out of it when she felt Katara's hand on her shoulder.

"Ugh, where can we get something to eat?" Sokka complained while holding his stomach.

"Free flaming fire flakes!" A merchant shouted to the crowd.

Sokka shot up and ran to the stand taking two bags of flaming fire flakes. Just as he sat down on the bench again he started stuffing his face and regretted it immediately. Azula swore she thought she was literally seeing smoke coming from his ears and mouth.

"Aaahhh! Hot! Hot!" He screamed while trying to find something to drink. When he didn't find anything he dunked his head into the fountain.

"'Flaming fire flakes' hot? What do you know." Katara replied while crossing her arms.

Azula reached over Katara and grabbed a handful of the flaming fire flakes and ate it. "I don't see what he's complaining about. It's not that hot. Spicy. But not hot. They're rather good."

The water tribe boy shoved the rest of the flakes towards me. "Enjoy!"

"I'm not eating this by myself. You're eating it with me. Take small amounts until you're used to it. How do you think I got used to eating stewed sea prunes?" Azula shoved one of the bags of flakes back to Sokka.

"But, I thought you hate stewed sea prunes. Don't you?" Aang asked.

"I don't hate them anymore. It's just not my first choice of cuisine to eat." Suddenly Azula felt as though someone was watching them very closely. She turned her head to the crowd behind them searching for someone or something.

"What's wrong asked again?"

"I get the feeling we're being watched." Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone else in a dark poncho try to hide from them. "Come on let's move on."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After being chased around the town and escaping thanks to Chey, the four teens sat in the words listening to Chey explain to them about his master. Azula was starting to get annoyed with him and his rambling. He constantly contradicted himself. Slowly she started to nod off.

"I serve a man. More than a man really, he's a myth, but he's real, a living legend, Jeong Jeong the Deserter."

Hearing the name 'Jeong Jeong' caused Azula to shoot her head up and listen to him carefully. The name seemed really familiar to her. She tried to picture a face to the name. Then it hit her. The admiral from the wanted poster with the two parallel scars on the right side of his face, he was Jeong Jeong.

"He was a Fire Nation general, or wait-"

"For being one of his followers, it's rather pathetic who you don't remember he was an admiral." Azula snapped and glared at him.

Everyone was silent. "Azula… how do you know that?" Katara finally asked.

"Remember when Sokka found the wanted poster of Aang and I? Jeong Jeong and Chey's wanted poster were on the same board." Azula easily replied. She knew there was something else that caused her to remember Jeong Jeong being an admiral, she couldn't figure out what though.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula was mentally kicking herself for not sensing the forest warriors from trapping them. It reminded her when the Kyoshi Warriors did the same thing to them so many weeks ago.

As they walked through the forest guided by Lin Yee and the other forest warriors, they learned that all the forest warriors were with Jeong Jeong and deserters of the Fire Nation military.

They finally arrived to a hillside that had many metal shacks of the flatter surfaces of the hill. There was a river at the bottom of the hill along with another metal shack.

Lin Yee pushed Chey forward physically telling him to walk down the hill to the shack by the river. "Go on. He sees you only."

"Oh that's okay, we can chat later." Chey said nervously as he tried backing away.

"Is that where Jeong Jeong is?" Aang asked excitedly. "I need to talk to him right away." The airbender tried to move forward but was abruptly stopped by Azula grabbing the back of his collar and Lin Yee blocking his path with the spear.

"No, you wait here." Lin Yee roughly pushed Chey again. "Go now!"

"Don't worry! Everything'll be fine. He's a great man, great man!" Chey said as he began walking down the hill steps as Lin Yee guided the rest towards the metal shack closets to them.

"I really want to talk to Jeong Jeong though!" Aang complained.

"Aang, shut up!" Azula snapped.

Everyone froze. Katara and Sokka looked at each other. They've seen Azula angry before, but not as much as she was currently with Aang.

"Aang, if you keep trying to rush into things without thinking of the consequences you're going to get hurt or someone else hurt. You drew attention to us back at the Fire Nation town when you wanted to be part of that magic show, which caused Katara to be in the show, but the problem was the magician had it under control the whole time!"

"But, he said that it was too strong and was going to lose control of it. I wasn't going to let Katara get burnt or worse killed!" Aang argued.

"He was acting! The magician was acting as if he didn't have control to keep the audience in suspense so his finale would have to extinguish the fire dragon and have confetti appear from it before the fire dragon even touched Katara!" Azula argued back.

"What is going on out here?" a woman asked as she exited the metal shack the teens and Lin Yee were standing in front of.

Azula looked over at the woman and froze. She had trouble breathing as she recognize the woman standing before them.

The woman gasped as she too recognized Azula. "Spirits, I hope my eyes aren't deceiving me." Tears started pouring the woman and Azula's face.

"You're not being deceived. It's me, Azula." The two embraced each other tightly not wanting to ever let go. "I missed you so much, Mizuki." Azula whispered.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Hmm… so that's what you guys were arguing about." Mizuki said as she firebended on the bowls to heat up the broth and rice before passing them to the four teens. After Azula and Mizuki had their little reunion, Mizuki guided them into the metal shack to fix them something to eat.

"Yes, Aang shouldn't have worried too much, but it never is bad to worry about a friend's well being. Malu is a very talented firebending magician. Believe it or not, I knew him when we were children. Whenever we had our firebending classes he was always trying to figure out a new trick to show off to the other kids during recess." Mizuki took a sip of her broth as she watched the teens.

Azula dumped all her rice into her broth as sipped her food. Sokka was too busy stuffing food into his mouth to care what was happening. Aang slowly ate still feeling guilty and sad after Azula yelled at him. Katara placed a little bit of her rice in her broth to try it before dumping the rest of her rice in her broth bowl like Azula.

When no one else spoke Mizuki continued. "Katara, Sokka. You two have also grown a lot since I last saw you. Katara, you've turned into a very beautiful young woman."

Katara blushed and quickly whispered a 'thanks' before eating more of her food. Sokka loudly burped still ignoring everyone.

"You look so much like your mother, Azula." Mizuki complimented.

The young firebender looked up from her food. "Did you ever find her? My uncle? My brother?"

Mizuki looked down into her lap. "I'm sorry, we searched for six months before it became to dangerous for us to travel in a Fire Nation ship. When the other benders and I abandoned the ship, we ran into Jeong Jeong, and he told us to stop looking. He said it would risk our lives and the lives of your family if we did find them."

"Oh." Azula quietly whispered looking down at her food.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After everyone else had fallen asleep, Azula and Mizuki continued taking learning about what happened to the other for the past nine years. Azula explained everything from relearning firebending and training with the wolf warriors with Sokka.

"That's amazing. I'm amazed you were able to teach yourself firebending again. It's hard to imagine anyone finding their drive again to firebend once they lost it. Let alone a child finding their drive again."

"Drive?" Azula questioned.

Mizuki looked over at her friend. "Your drive… this feeling that is inside is like your fuel to your inner fire. Without that fuel you will not be able to firebend. Before you had your panic attack and lost your memory, like every firebending child it was probably the purest drive of all, to feel the sun.

"But after your panic attack, when I tried helping you practice when we were on the ship, you seemed timid when it came to firebending. For some reason, you found your drive again to start firebending."

"I lived in the Water Tribe for a year, most of the village still didn't appreciate me being there. They wouldn't let their kids play with me at the time. So I just sat outside on the wall staying out of everyone's way. As I sat there I was feeling the sun and how good it felt, and I suddenly heard a voice just as warm helping me find my way to firebend again." Azula smiled at the memory. "A few weeks ago I found out the voice, that taught me to firebend again, belonged to Avatar Roku."

"Avatar Roku?"

"Yeah, would you believe he's actually my great-grandfather?"

Before Mizuki could say anything, Chey appeared through the curtain very gloomed. Thinking that Aang, Sokka, and Katara were asleep, Chey sat down next to Mizuki and was about to tell Azula something, but was interrupted.

"What happened? Can I see Jeong Jeong now?" Aang asked immediately upon waking up instantly.

"Aang! Shut up!" Azula snapped.

"He won't see you." Chey responded glumly. "He's very angry that I brought you here. He wants you to leave immediately a-"

"Finally!" Sokka explained as he stretched. "Let's hit the road."

"Hold up, he wants you to leave immediately after he trains Azula." Chey finished explaining.

Everyone looked over at Azula, including Katara who had just woken up. Aang was irritated at how everything lately was focused around Azula.

"Why will he teach her and not me? I'm the Avatar I need to know how to firebend!" Aang shouted.

Suddenly he was looking at the metal shack ceiling as Azula held him down glaring at him. "Aang, you don't understand. Firebending is the most difficult bending art. You might think by the time you start Earthbending is difficult because it's your natural opposite, but you're wrong. Firebending will always be the most difficult for any Avatar."

Aang pushed Azula off of him. "How difficult can it be? Unlike the other elements you can create fire!"

"That's one of the reasons it's difficult. While you can use other sources of fire…" Azula firebended a small flame out of the fire that was burning in the shack. "Fire is the only one that can be created from the benders, and there are consequences that come with being a firebender that are more devastating than the other elements if you don't learn it properly."

"Don't you mean, 'If I'm not taught it properly'?" Aang asked.

"No, if you don't learn it properly."

The airbender stood up. "You taught yourself to firebend when you were a kid and you don't have a problem with it. I want Jeong Jeong to teach me."

"He says you're not ready." Chey finally interrupted. "Says you haven't mastered waterbending and earthbending yet."

"Wait, how does he know that?"

"He saw the way you walked into camp. He can tell."

"I'm going in anyway!" Aang walked out of the entrance.

"The Avatar is a fool." Azula mumbled to herself.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Some time had gone by and Azula fell asleep leaning against Mizuki. Chey smiled as he watched the scene in front of him.

"Is it really her?" He asked. "Is it really our pr-" Mizuki held her hand up silencing him.

Mizuki brushed Azula's bangs out of the girl's face. "Yes, only nine years older. Not a day had gone by did I not worry about her. Chey, if you saw the way she looked at me when I told her we had to leave her at the South Pole you would have felt so guilty for doing so. I looked after her and her family for only two years before that day, and only had two weeks to get to know her…" Mizuki's voice dragged not sure what else to say.

"She seems like a little sister to you." He observed.

The former captain smiled. "It feels that way. After what happened I had all my attention on protecting her as if she was the only family I had left."

"I'm sure if we have a daughter in the future, you'll raise her to be strong like Azula." Chey responded.

"Yes." Mizuki leaned forward and peck her husband's lips. "But, I don't want to get pregnant while we're refugees, I don't want that for our child."

Chey laughed. "Understandable. Oh wait, that means I would have to stop making explosives… oh boy."

Mizuki giggled. "This is going to be a shocker for Azula when she wakes up. I don't think she would have guessed you were my husband."

Just then Azula began to stir. "Huh? I guess I must have fallen asleep." Azula sat up and rubbed the weariness from her eyes.

Aang suddenly walked in with a big cheesy smile on his face. "I did it! Jeong Jeong is going to teach me to firebend! And you guys said he wouldn't! By the way, Azula he wants to talk to you. Maybe instead of teaching you, he's going to focus his attention on me."

"Are you sure it was you and not Roku threatening him?" Azula asked, still angry with the Air Nomad.

"What makes you say that?" He asked nervously.

"I really doubt Jeong Jeong would just suddenly change his mind to teach you unless someone more powerful than him threatens him to teach you. You lack the discipline to be a firebender." Azula said as she walked out of the tent.

Once she walked down to Jeong Jeong's shack, she stopped and listened to the sound of the water moving. Suddenly something snapped. She began firebending shooting varies blasts and arcs in different directions.

"Hah!" She shouted while kicked the air sending a powerful fireball down the river.

"Anger is the worst drive for firebending."

Azula turned around to see Jeong Jeong looking at her. "Right now, all I am is angry. I don't understand why you would teach Aang. He doesn't understand firebending."

"No, he doesn't, but Avatar Roku thinks he is ready."

The two look out towards the river again, seeing fireflies flying around the water. "He's wrong." Azula simply said.

"I agree, but I was not in a position to argue with him. However, my main focus is re-training you. It's obvious you're not aware, but you're already a master firebender."

"If I'm already a master why do you need to re-train me?" Azula asked now turning her attention to the former admiral.

"You lost your way. Yes, you are able to firebend but your intentions for your drive is wrong. I don't know what your intentions are, but the way you carry yourself shows you have conflicted feelings. The first time I saw you, you had the drive of every child and that of a true firebending master."

"The sun." Azula answered.

Jeong Jeong nodded. "Any firebender can be a master, but only those who understand firebending, only those who become one with Agni, the sun spirit, are the true firebending masters. There was only one other person, beside myself, who I know was one with Agni. Your uncle."

Azula smiled. "My uncle was amazing. I don't remember much about him, but I do remember it was different being around him. When he walked into the room, it made me feel like everything was going to be fine and warm. Just like the sun. I got the same feeling from you nine years ago and even now."

"So remember me. Chey told me earlier how you yelled at him. However, he said you remembered because of one of my wanted posters."

"Originally that's what I thought too. But after talking to you I started remembering more. I'm truly honored for you to take me under your wing." Azula bowed towards her new firebending master.

"Well start in the morning. I'll get you started, but everything depends on you in your training. Mizuki will make sure no one interrupts you. Your training is going to affect you mentally, spiritually, and possibly physically. You'll know when you find your drive."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Morning arrived after a long night. After eating their breakfast, Jeong Jeong had Mizuki and Azula follow him away from the camp to a large tree facing the sun.

"I want you to sit here and meditate. Meditate on what your drives in the past were and how they affected you and your firebending. You will not move from this spot until you find your path. Even if it takes days, you will not move. Understand?"

"Yes, master."

"Mizuki can not help you in your journey. She is here to make sure your friends don't try to disturb you. However, if you meditate properly it wouldn't matter if she was here or not."

With that Jeong Jeong walked back to camp. Azula sat down close to the tree and tried to feel Agni's warmth on her. She didn't know how long they were there, but she knew she wasn't getting anywhere.

The former captain began to speak before Azula cut her off. "No, Jeong Jeong said I have to do this alone."

Azula stared towards the horizon looking just below the sun so she wouldn't be blinded. She closed her eyes and began to meditate feeling Agni shine his warmth on her.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

I was three when I bent fire for the first time. My family was surprised, especially my brother. He had also just recently realized he was a firebender as well. My brother was five, the usual age for some one to discover their bending abilities.

I remembered my mom making sure I didn't learn firebending until I was five. When I was finally allowed to start my firebending lessons my uncle was to be my master since my father was teaching my brother.

Uncle spent the first month of my lessons teaching me the proper breathing techniques. I found those lessons boring until I struggled producing fire when he asked me to. After that I didn't try to think bad about his lessons. We spent another week training me to breath properly and I was able to produce fire again.

The warm feeling I felt every time I firebended made me want to never stop bending. It was as if I was playing with Agni every day. I felt like I was starting to really understand firebending, but that all changed after I saw Lu Ten murdered in front of me.

I couldn't firebend anymore. Mizuki tried so hard to teach me how to firebend again so I could use my inner fire to keep myself warm the closer we got to the Southern Water Tribe, but I couldn't. I couldn't feel Agni anymore. Everything felt cold and nothing was going to keep me warm.

That was until I saw her. Katara. For weeks the whole crew on the ship tried helping me keep warm by putting me in clothes meant for cold temperatures but in the end they failed. Just meeting Katara sparked something in me to feel warmth again.

But that warmth was not enough for me to firebend still. Until that day I sat at the wall feeling Agni again. There's no doubt in my mind that Roku was talking to me, teaching me how to firebend again. His voice was just as warm as Uncle's. That's probably why I didn't have trouble learning again.

The whole village thought I was crazy when I told Hakoda and Kya that there was a voice in my head teaching me to firebend. Hakoda and Kya didn't think crazy, and neither did Sokka or Katara. Not even Gran Gran thought I was crazy. To avoid accidentally melting the village, Hakoda set up my training area just outside the village.

I was playing with Agni again.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Katara walked up the make shift path to Mizuki and Azula. She couldn't help by smile seeing how peaceful Azula looked by the tree.

"Has she been sitting there this whole time?" Katara quietly asked Mizuki.

Mizuki nodded. "Jeong Jeong wants her to find the true way of firebending. Children who just discovered their firebending abilities are true masters spiritually. If they learn firebending properly guided by a master they will be true masters of firebending mentally, spiritually, and physically. Life strays us from the path. That is part of Jeong Jeong's teachings to us."

"So no one can teach her the true way to firebending?" Katara asked.

"No one. Not even the original firebenders, the dragons."

"I thought dragons were extinct."

"They are, but if they were still around they couldn't teach anyone the true way to firebending. It is different for everyone. I curious as to what her drive will be. What does Jeong Jeong have Aang doing?"

Katara giggled at the memory of what Aang is going through. "Concentration and breathing exercises. He keeps trying to learn how to actually bend fire."

"He can't without proper breathing and concentration. Every new firebender has to learn those before being taught how to control the fire."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After learning about the war, I lost my way. I know I did. I was only seven. I was furious at Akuzo. He killed my grandfather, my father, and Lu Ten. I didn't even know if the rest of my family was still a live. I was alone.

I remember being so angry that I practically destroyed my training area. My fire was stronger and more violent that it ever had been. That caused Gran Gran to start worrying about me. I was worried when she started warming up to me, she hated me ever since they day I came to the Southern Water Tribe.

After Hakoda fixed up my training area again, it was Gran Gran who woke me up and started teaching me the movements to waterbending. She wasn't a waterbender, but everything she taught me she learned from Hama. Hama, the greatest waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe was taken prisoner by the Fire Nation, taught Gran Gran everything she knew about waterbending.

I mentally smiled remembering Katara asking Gran Gran to teach her waterbending, but no matter how had Gran Gran tried there was no way she could properly teach Katara. Gran Gran wasn't a waterbender and couldn't feel what all benders feel with their element.

The memories of how much time Katara and I spent working on waterbending, or in my case, waterbending with fire. It was very different. It was only a few months before we left the Southern Water Tribe with Aang did I figure out to bend fire as if it were water.

And then it finally dawned on me. I felt as if the world around me shifted, and everything was in its rightful place. My drive was Katara.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Jeong Jeong told her she'd know when she finds her drive. She did. The firebender stood up and noticed Katara.

"Hey." Katara said casually.

"Hey." Azula surprised herself when she suddenly wrapped her arms around Katara's waist.

Katara didn't say anything. She wrapped her arms around Azula's neck. They stayed there for a while in their embrace.

"You seem different."

"I feel different. I found my drive."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The firebender sat down on the rock in front of Jeong Jeong's shack. She didn't have to wait long. Jeong Jeong returned and was shocked to see Azula.

"Of all the students I've had, you're the quickest to find your drive. You're actually the only student who found their true drive. Stand."

Azula did what she was told. Jeong Jeong quickly instructed her on what he wanted to see. Sokka and Katara watched from afar on the rock Sokka was fishing on. Sokka still hadn't caught a fish.

Once Jeong Jeong finished his in instructions. Azula took a deep breath and produced a small fireball. She was shocked to see her flame was no longer the color of a normal fire. In her control was a beautiful blue flame burning in many shades of blue.

She ducked under the ball of fire and she turned in a full circle charging her abilities to one move. She created an opening in the middle of the flame and stood up having a ring of fire surrounding her. Azula effortlessly pushed the fire outward creating a bigger ring.

Using one hand to keep the fire in place, she reached out and broke the fire ring circling around the ring building the stream of the ring into the small flame it once was again. She stepped back into a low stance bring her arms with the fireball back before shifting her weight forward sending a long stream of fire down the river.

There was no doubt. Her firebending was stronger. She was a true master of firebending.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Aang, come on!" Sokka shouted.

Aang quickly got out of the water and hopped onto Appa's saddle. "Wait, where's Azula?"

Azula was standing far from the group she was with Mizuki. "Where are you guys going?"

"I can't tell you. Trust me, we'll be fine, but you need to get out of here!" Mizuki embraced Azula. "You're not the little girl I left at the Southern Water Tribe anymore. I promise we will meet again someday. Now go!"

Mizuki pushed Azula towards her friends. Azula sprinted not looking back. Once Aang got Appa into the air, Azula looked back to see Mizuki was gone.

"Aang, you're burned." Katara pointed out. She opened her water pouch and bended some water to cover her hand. Azula and Sokka watched as Katara placed her hand over Aang's wound. When she removed it Sokka was in shock.

"Wow! That's good water." Aang complimented.

"When did you learn to do that?" Sokka asked. "And why am I the only one in shock?"

"Azula was with me when I healed my hands and I guess I always knew how to heal." Katara explained.

"Oh… well then-" Sokka began ranting on of all his past wounds.

Aang turned his attention to the firebender. "Azula. Azula, I'm sorry for not listening to you earlier. You were right. I wasn't ready. I didn't understand the consequences of not being disciplined. I don't ever want to firebend again."

"You're going have to learn in the future. Like it or not Aang, you're a firebender as well as a waterbender, an earthbender, and an airbender. When you start learning firebending again, you will listen to your master. If you hurt anyone, especially Katara again, I will personally end your Avatar life and make sure your next life will be disciplined when he or she learns to firebend." Azula threatened.

The airbender looked away feeling really guilty.

"You were lucky today." Azula continued. "Just be thankful Katara knows how to heal. I didn't have to attempt to murder you." She smiled towards Aang.

"Uh… thanks, I guess." Aang said sheepishly. "Alright, next stop Northern Water Tribe!"


	12. The Northern Water Tribe

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 11: The Northern Water Tribe**

**Note: **I have re-written this chapter several times, I finally have it where I want it. More of Cazu in this chapter. Next chapter is the Book 1 finale. I think you all will enjoy the finale as much as I do. And I'm the one writing it.

**Disclaimer:** Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

After weeks of traveling, they finally arrived to the Northern Water Tribe. Immediately everyone felt the different energy of the Northern Tribe compared to the Southern Tribe. There wasn't the family based feeling, but the city itself distracted Sokka, Katara, and Azula from that feeling.

"This place is beautiful!" Katara exclaimed.

"Yeah, she is." Sokka responded dreamily.

Azula looked down at Appa's tail to see Sokka watching a boat they passed continue moving the opposite direction. She noticed the young woman in the boat with white hair and immediately knew what Sokka was talking about. The firebender carefully slid down the sky bison's tail so she was next to Sokka. She nudged him in the side and raised an eyebrow while smirking towards him.

When she got his attention she gently nodded in the direction the woman with white hair was traveling. "Oh, be quiet." Sokka grumbled blushing furiously as he climbed back up Appa's tail.

"You've got it bad, Sokka."

The group was guided to the deepest part of the tribe where the Council Hut was held. When they entered the plaza, they saw the chief sitting in the center of the first row. He's right side was vacant while to his left was an elder man and four other elders sitting in the second row. The four teens kneeled and bowed towards the Water Tribe Council.

"Please, rise. You're our honored guests." The chief announced to the teens. "It is an honor to have our brother and sisters from the Southern Water Tribe as well as the Avatar."

"I am sorry Chief Arnook, but there is only one sister. There is a firebender among them." The old man to Arnook's left replied.

"Yes, I am a firebender. However, I am also a member of the Southern Water Tribe. Chief Hakoda declared me a member of the Southern Tribe three years ago. And unless I'm mistaken, but makes me a sister of this tribe like Katara does it not?" Azula announced to the council.

"If the chief of your tribe declared you, a firebender, a member of the Southern Tribe… then yes, you are our sister as well. We will be holding a feast in your honor tonight in the Central Plaza. For now, you will be escorted to your hut." Chief Arnook finished.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Later that night everyone in the tribe had gathered to the Central Plaza in celebration of the Avatar's arrival. As the Chief's honored guests, Azula and the others were to be seated with the Chief and the Council Members. Katara and Sokka took their seats. Sokka was already on one side of Katara, while the other side of the Southern waterbender had enough space for one person to sit between her and Chief Arnook.

Aang grinned confidently this was his chance to sit next to Katara. However, Katara grabbed hold of Azula's hand and forced the firebender to sit down next to her. Aang frowned and sat at the end of the table. Once the giant crab was placed into the steaming water Chief Arnook stood gaining the attention of the tribe, reminding Azula of the bonfire celebration three years earlier.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sisters from the Southern Water Tribe. We are blessed that one of our sisters is a firebender who is loyal to the Southern Tribe. They have also brought with them someone very special; someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now. The Avatar!"

The entire tribe cheered. When the cheering died, Chief Arnook continued. "We also celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday." He backed up revealing the young woman with white hair followed by two attendants. "Princess Yue is now of marrying age."

"Thank you, father. May, the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times." Yue replied sincerely.

"She's beautiful." Katara whispered to Azula.

Azula smirked. "You're more beautiful to me." The firebender whispered back.

Katara blushed and looked away. She saw Azula's hand on the table. Slowly Katara reached over and placed her hand over the firebender's hand. The waterbender scooted herself closer to Azula leaning against her.

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" Chief Arnook announced before sitting.

Master Pakku was the old man who sat to Chief Arnook's left in the Council Hut. He nearly had the full attention of everyone in the tribe as he and his students displayed their amazing waterbending abilities. Azula watched from the corner of her eye. Most of her attention was on Katara's reactions. Seeing how excited and the enthusiasm in the waterbender's eyes was more enjoyable to watch.

She briefly looked over at Sokka and saw him trying to smooth talk Yue. "Hi, there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe." He greeted in a chessy voice.

Yue slightly bowed towards him. "Very nice to meet you."

The two looked away from each other not sure what else to say. Sokka caught Azula's eye. He could tell from the firebender's look she wanted him to say something else to Yue. Azula was silently cheering Sokka on.

"So…" Sokka said trying to desperately start up a conversation with the princess. "Uh… you're a princess!"

The Water Princess smiled and nodded. That gave Sokka a little more confidence. Azula smiled and decided to watch the last of Master Pakku's performance.

"You know, back in my tribe, I'm kinda like a prince myself!"

Katara laughed. "Ha! Prince of what?"

Azula mentally smacked herself. Katara just ruined the moment for Sokka.

"A lot of things!" Sokka replied angrily. "Uh, do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here!"

The Southern waterbender mockingly bowed to her brother. "My apologies, Prince Sokka." She responded sarcastically before leaning against Azula again.

Sokka turned his attention back to Yue. "So it looks like I'm gonna be in town for awhile. I'm thinking maybe we could… do an activity together?" He's voice got a little higher has he tried to recover the coversation.

"Do an activity?" Yue asked smiling and emphasizing on 'activity'.

He lost the conversation. There was no chance in recovering it. Sokka did the only thing that came to his mind. He stuffed his face with food.

"Very smooth." Katara said. She was clearly amused by Sokka's failed attempt to court.

"Hey, give him a break. He's trying." Azula whispered to the Southern waterbender.

"Azula, he didn't have a chance when he said he was like a prince." Katara gently countered.

"But he's right though; if Yue is the Princess of the Northern Tribe because her farther is the chief. You and Sokka are Chief Hakoda's children so I guess that's makes you royal to the Southern Tribe. Maybe I should call you 'Princess Katara' from now on." Azula flirted.

Katara blushed of the thought. "'Princess Katara', huh?" She snuggled more into Azula obviously want to hear more from the firebender.

"I don't see why not. Remember when you and Sokka were sick? When Aang and I got back, you had a crown on your head and Sokka told me you were a princess. The title suits you, your highness."

"So what does that make you to me?"

Azula blushed. She gulped not sure how to respond. "What do you mean?"

Aang looked at Azula and Katara flirting to each other. At first he was hurt seeing Katara being so close to Azula, but after seeing the looks in their eyes, he couldn't help but smile. He noticed how happy they were even though he had no idea what the conversation was about. The airbender's memory wandered back to one of Gyatso's teachings of how love comes in many forms. While his romantic love for Katara may not be returned, he could still love her in a new form of love. The love for his new family created from their friendship.

"Avatar Aang." Chief Arnook interrupted Aang's train of thought. "I would like to introduce you to Master Pakku. Please follow me."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Five year-old Azula sighed. She was sitting in front of a Pai Sho table waiting for her uncle. Her uncle insisted that they play at least one game of Pai Sho before they started her lessons for the day.

"Alright, let's get started in our game of Pai Sho!" Her uncle said cheerfully as he set a tray of cups and teapot next to the Pai Sho board.

"Uncle, why must we play Pai Sho? I want to practice firebending!"

"Patience. Pai Sho is a great way to learn strategies and to relax. Here, drink your jasmine tea. Clear you mind and begin to learn." Her uncle passed his niece her cup of tea. "What I am going to teach you may come in handy for you someday. I don't expect you to remember the pattern right away, but that's why we're going to work on it. Playing Pai Sho can help find out who are truly your friends in times of need."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll learn in time. Now place your white lotus tile on the center of the board."

Azula did what her uncle told her to do. After all the tiles were finally placed onto the board in a certain order she noticed a pattern. "It looks like the lotus tile."

Her uncle just smiled and nodded. "Out of all the Pai Sho tiles. The lotus tile is the most important. Never lose the lotus tile."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Even though her eyes were closed, she was awake. Azula rolled over onto her side attempting to get a few more minutes of sleep. She thought about all the times her uncle and her played Pai Sho at least once every day before her firebending lessons. The firebender smiled remembering the lotus pattern on the Pai Sho board. To this day she wondered why her uncle wanted her to memorize how to create the pattern.

With no luck of falling back asleep, the firebender sat up and stretched. Once she knew she was fully awake she realized she was the only one in the hut. Azula looked around questioningly until it dawned on her.

"Right, waterbending lessons for Aang and Katara, and warrior training for Sokka." Azula got up and put her arnook on. Instead of training with Sokka and the Northern Warriors, she chose to spend her first day at the Northern Tribe familiarizing with the area and their customs.

As she walked out of the hut, Azula bummed into someone who was walking in. "Oops!" Azula caught the person she bummed into before they fell down. "Sorry about that. Katara? Wha- what are you doing here? I thought you'd be at your waterbending lesson."

"He won't teach me!"

Azula raised her eyebrow. "What do you mean he won't teach you? You're a waterbender just like he is. If he won't teach you, why don't you find someone else to?"

"No one will teach me how to fight Azula. They say it's against their customs for women to fight. Female waterbenders can only use their waterbending for healing." Katara explained as her voice started cracking.

The firebender didn't know how to respond.

"It's not fair. I know I have healing abilities, but I want to fight too!" Katara screamed venting her anger towards Azula.

"Hit me." Azula simply responded.

Without thinking Katara threw a punch at Azula, only to have it blocked by the firebender. Blocking her punch caused Katara to become angrier.

"What's the point of telling me to hit you, when all you're going to do is block me?" Katara threw more punches towards Azula.

Each punch was either blocked or redirected. Soon enough Azula threw a punch back. Katara easily blocked the punch. Before they knew it they were sparring each other. Katara took one step forward and fell to the ground hard.

"Are you alright?" Azula held her hand out.

Katara grabbed hold of the hand and yanked Azula into the snow next to her. "Just slipped in some ice. And thank you for allowing me to at least try to hit you."

"It was my honor, your highness." Azula responded while giving Katara a cheesy smile.

The Southern waterbender giggled, but quickly stopped. "When we came here, we thought I would be training with Aang, but I can't. If the waterbending masters here won't train me, there is no one left in the world who can."

Azula smiled. "They will. When you set your mind on something you never let anything get in your way. What time is it?"

"About noon."

"Geez, I can't believe I slept that late. What were you doing if you were turned away earlier today?"

Katara stood up. "Let's go for a walk. I'll tell you about what I learned in the healing class."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The two walked through the city as Katara told Azula everything she learned from Yugoda. After Katara explained to Azula about the betrothal necklace, the firebender stopped and reached for Katara's neck. Azula played with the pendent as she let the new information about the necklace sink in.

"Whoever made this necklace for Gran Gran put a lot of work into it. It's the symbol for waterbending."

"Yugoda said Gran Gran was supposed to marry a waterbender. It makes me wonder how life would be if she didn't run away and married him." Katara said as she leaned against the rail of the bridge they were standing on.

Azula climbed over the rail to sit on top of it. "Life would be very different. Instead of being raised in the Southern Water Tribe, I might have been killed along with Mizuki and the others. If Gran Gran stayed, Hakoda wouldn't have been born in the Southern Tribe… actually he wouldn't be born at all. And if he weren't born, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation. I'm glad she ran away."

Katara smiled. "Yes, I am too. Do you sometimes wonder about…" she dragged on not sure how to continue her question.

"About what our lives would be if my family wasn't murdered?" Azula finished. "It crosses my mind from time to time. All I know is you and I wouldn't be friends. If we did meet we'd be fighting each other."

Silence fell between the two as they stared towards the horizon. Katara was the first to speak.

"In that case, as horrible as it was for you, I'm glad you're here."

"Me too."

The two smiled at each other. Subconsciously they started leaning in towards each other. Katara closed her eyes waiting for Azula to kiss her. She jumped when she heard a splash from the canal below them. When she opened her eyes she didn't see Azula sitting on the bridge's rail. The waterbender looked over the edge to see Azula emerging out of the water.

"Uh oh!" A little boy said as he climbed to the rail Azula was previously sitting on. "Sorry! I didn't mean to hit you with the snowball."

"Yuki!" The little boy flinched when a girl about Katara's age ran up to him. "What did mom tell you about throwing snowballs?"

"To be really careful and not hit anyone but you, sis." Yuki responded innocently.

Katara stared at Yuki's sister. "Teruko? Is that you?"

"Katara? I thought it was you, Sokka, and Azula last night sitting with the chief." Teruko exclaimed.

"What are you doing here? I know your family left the Water Tribe, but I never thought you'd come up here to the Northern tribe."

"Neither did I. We stayed in the Earth Kingdom for a few months, but the Fire Nation was attacking nearly all the small villages we went to. By that time we were close to the Northern Tribe and my dad decided for us to live here. Katara, it's great to see you again." Teruko hugged the waterbender.

"Uh, sis. What about the girl down there?" Yuki pointed down towards the canal.

Both teenage girls looked over the bridge and saw Azula climb out of the canal. Azula was shivering when she got out. She took a deep breath and breathed out puffs of blue fire warming herself up.

"Stupid brat. I almost kissed her." Azula mumbled to herself before looking up towards the bridge. When she saw Katara looking down at her trying not to laugh, Azula gave the waterbender a sheepish grin.

"Excuse me. Are you the firebender traveling with Avatar Aang?" A young man asked Azula.

"Yes, I am. I have a name though. It's Azula."

"Master Pakku sent me to look for you. He'd like to speak with you as soon as possible."

Azula's eyes widened. "Um… okay, where I can find him?"

"He's by the Council Hut. That's where he trains all his students."

"I'll be there shortly." Azula looked up towards Katara.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

It took a lot of convincing for Katara not to go with Azula. The last thing Azula wanted to deal with was a repeat of Katara and Pakku's argument. When she walked up the final steps toward the Council Hut she saw Aang practicing the push and pull of a stream of water.

Pakku was waterbending his soup. "You're moving the water around, but you're not feeling the push and pull."

Azula silently agreed with Master Pakku. Aang was forcing the water.

"I'm trying!" Aang replied while gritting his teeth.

"Aang, you should relax. You can't force the water to change its course." Azula instructed.

"Oh, hey, Azula!" Aang greeted.

"Concentrate!" Both Pakku and Azula snapped.

The air nomad threw the water to the ground in frustration. "Not another Jeong Jeong!" he screamed as he threw his hands into the air.

Pakku took a big sip of his tentacle soup. "Maybe that move is too advanced for you. Why don't you try and easier one?"

Aang groaned. He waterbended the water on the ground and began practicing the push and pull again.

Azula and Pakku looked at each other. "You wanted to see me, Master Pakku?" Azula asked trying to be polite.

"It's unusual for someone of the Fire Nation to be against the war that they started. Let alone teach someone how to waterbend, when you can't even do that yourself." He took a sip of his soup again.

"I told you yesterday, I am Azula of the Southern Water Tribe. I haven't been part of the Fire Nation in nearly ten years. As for bending water, I spent years trying to think like a waterbender and I can tell you I've succeeded in manipulating fire to act like water." Azula enforced.

The master waterbender finished his soup before talking. "Very well. Pupil Aang."

The air nomad dropped his stream of water. "Yes, Master Pakku?"

"You're lessons are done for the day." Aang air-spirited as fast as he could away from Pakku and Azula. "You, follow me." Pakku ordered Azula.

The firebender stayed where she stood glaring at the master waterbender. Pakku sighed, "Will you please follow me?"

Azula followed Pakku to a tea hut in the central part of the city. "What tea do you want to have? My treat." Pakku asked.

"Do they have jasmine?"

"They don't usually have jasmine. Sit at the Pai Sho table, I'll get you something you might enjoy."

She sighed as she walked over to the Pai Sho table. Azula carefully brushed her hand over the board remembering the games she played with her uncle. It was only four months. She spent four months training under her uncle, but every time she drank jasmine tea or played Pai Sho, she felt connected to him.

"Have you ever played Pai Sho?" Pakku asked as he poured a cup of tan liquid and handed it to Azula.

"I haven't played since I left the Fire Nation. My uncle taught me. He always wanted me to play a game with him and drink tea before he gave me my firebending lesson for the day. He was nothing like the firebenders I see today. What is this?" Azula asked referring to the hot liquid in her hand.

"It's a different kind of tea. This is black tea with milk and a few sweet flavoring."

Azula laughed. "My uncle would have a heart attack just hearing what you do to your teas." She sipped the tea. Her eyes widened at the mouth watering sweet taste. "It's delicious."

"I'm glad you like it. Now how about a game of Pai Sho? Since you're the guest, why don't you make the first move?" Pakku gestured towards the board.

Automatically Azula went for the white lotus tile and placed it in the center. She was relying on her instincts. Something was telling her that what her uncle was trying to teach her so many years ago was going to help her.

"Hm. Interesting. This is also unusual for someone, especially your age to be favoring the white lotus gambit." Pakku observed losing his cockiness and taking Azula serious now.

"I've been taught the white lotus is the most important piece in the game. I have reasons to favor it right now." Azula smiled almost smirking.

"Very well. Study closely."

Before Pakku could place his tile down, Azula knew which tile was going to be placed where. He did exactly what Azula predicted. She quickly countered causing Pakku to raise his eyebrows.

Soon they were quickly placing their tiles on the board already knowing what the other was playing and where. Once all the pieces were placed, a lotus was formed from the tiles on the board.

Pakku was slightly shocked to see Azula knew how to play the lotus. He cupped his hands and bowed towards Azula. "As unusual as it is, there is no doubt. Welcome, sister."

Azula was now confused seeing what Pakku was doing, but returned the bow the same way.

"Many things will happen to you. Great things can come from you. Finish your tea and then we shall go on a walk. There's a story you need to hear the story about the lotus."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

As Pakku promised he explained everything to the firebender. They walked through the city not concern about their destination. "That is why your uncle told you the lotus was an important tile."

"So, you're telling me, my uncle was part of this secret society where there are members from all the nations wanting to bring balance in the world."

"That is exactly what I am saying. I have a feeling I know who your uncle is, but I'm not going to tell you." Pakku raised his hand to silence Azula before she could argue. "I'm not going to tell you, because it's a hunch. I don't want to give you the wrong information."

Azula leaned over the bridge's railing looking at the moon's reflection in the canal below. "All this White Lotus business sounds like my uncle and my cousin, Lu Ten. My uncle, as amazing as he was… he didn't seem like a firebender. Something about him was different and hearing about the White Lotus made me realize he would have been an amazing Avatar."

Pakku leaned on the bridge's railing as well. "He tried passing the teachings to you as well as your cousin. Because he taught you how to play the lotus pattern on the Pai Sho board disguised as a game, I know I can trust you."

The firebender smiled. "I can trust you too. 'You can find true friends when playing Pai Sho. It's more than just a game.' I remember my uncle telling stuff like that every day. He was right."

"Master Pakku said this move is all about sinking and floating." A voice in the canal said.

Both Azula and Pakku looked down at the bridge and saw Aang trying to teach Katara waterbending. They watched as Aang passed the stream of water over to Katara.

"I got it!" Katara exclaimed.

Furious of what was happening in front of him, Pakku bent the water out of Katara's control.

"That was amazing!" Aang cheered.

"That wasn't me." Katara simply replied before looking up.

Aang and Katara cringed when they saw Azula and Pakku on the bridge above them. Pakku froze the water and separated them into icicles, forcing them into the bridge's edge.

"I… I was just showing Katara a few moves."

Azula shook her head in disappointment at Aang. This was exactly why she didn't want Katara to come with her to see Pakku earlier today.

"You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture."

"I'm sorry, I-" Aang tried to apologize.

"You are no longer welcome as my student." With that Pakku left leaving Azula on the bridge.

"Well?" Katara asked quietly looking up at Azula. "What do you have to say?"

The firebender took a deep breath before leaning against the bridge again. "You're not going to appreciate what I have to say."

"I want to hear it though!" Katara snapped. Tears were threatening to pour down her face.

"Don't kill me for telling you what I think then. I understand that you want to learn how to waterbend. However, I understand and respect the ideas of ones culture. If it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending here then accept it and learn to heal with the other women. No one said you couldn't learn after we leave the Northern Tribe." Azula paused letting what she had to say sink in.

"But Aang, you once again disrespected your teacher. At this rate, you will never become a fully realized Avatar. What are you going to do when we have to find your Earthbending teacher?"

"We're going to get Bumi to teach me." Aang replied quickly.

"He may be your childhood friend, but will you disrespect him like you did with Jeong Jeong and Pakku? They know what they're doing. They are the masters of their element."

"Why are you suddenly sticking up for Master Poophead?" Katara asked. "Earlier today you were agreeing with me. Why were you even with him just now?"

Azula blankly stared at her friends. "All I can say is that I trust him with my life. Katara, if you want to learn how to fight, the only way you can get him to teach you is by showing him." With that Azula walked away.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

About a month had passed. Azula was walking up the stairs to the Council Hut like she has everyday. When she got to the top she saw Katara and Sangok in the sparring circle. She observed how nervous Sangok was and knew there was no hope of him winning the sparring match.

Sangok turned the ball of water into ice and threw it at Katara. The Southern waterbender easily redirected the ice. She melted the ice and sent a huge steam of water towards the boy. Sangok was washed up to more than ten feet in the air before being frozen in place.

Azula smiled at how far Katara and come with her waterbending. She was right about Katara being a waterbending prodigy.

"Katara, you have advanced more quickly than any student I ever trained. You have proven that with fierce determination, passion, and hard work you can accomplish anything." Pakku praised before turning his attention to Aang who was playing with Momo. "Raw talent alone is not enough."

The firebender thought about what Pakku had just said. "Sounds like something Uncle would say." She quietly told herself.

When she looked up she saw Aang waterbend the snow to cover himself up looking like a snowman. The three master benders gave the Avatar a look of disdain. Both Azula and Pakku shook their head in annoyance when Momo pounced Aang to the ground.

"Katara, you are dismissed for the day. Well done." Pakku smiled towards his only female student. "Everyone else, up! You've been training under me longer, if you think this is hard you might as well stop slacking off and learn from Katara."

Azula opened her arms when Katara walked up to her. Katara smiled and hugged Azula. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"I found this place going back to the hut the other day. It has to most beautiful sight you'll ever see. C'mon!" Katara grabbed Azula's hand and like many times before dragged the firebender.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Princess Cazu." Zeng stopped Cazu from walking into the war room. "Another letter for you from Lady Ty Lee."

"Thank you, Zeng." Cazu took the letter and folded it up and placed it in between her armor and belt.

Like the previous war meetings, all the admirals, generals, and War Minister Qin bowed towards her as she walked up to the throne platform sitting on her father's left.

"Now that everyone is here. War Minister Qin, what are your reports?" Akuzo asked.

"Governor Bao, has reported that there are some rebellions in Omashu, nothing our soldiers can't handle. That shouldn't be to any of our concern. King Bumi surrendered the city without a fight."

"Father, if I may?" Cazu asked. She didn't dare speak out of turn again like she promised. Akuzo nodded allowing Cazu to continue. "That's rather odd, don't you think, War Minister?"

"King Bumi has been known for being crazy, Princess."

"Crazy enough, to possibly outsmart us perhaps." Cazu countered.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what you mean exactly, Princess."

"I have a feeling that King Bumi, may be planning something. What kind of lockdown is he under exactly?"

General Shu stood up and addressed the issue. "He is confined in a metal coffin with only enough space for his face to be exposed."

"That's it?" Cazu asked.

"What else do you expect us to do, Princess?"

Before Cazu could respond her father interjected. "Princess Cazu, enough. Thank you for your observation and questioning. We now have a more elaborate detail of the aftermath to Omashu's downfall. There's nothing to worry about. Moving on."

War Minister Qin and General Shu sat down on their placemats. Cazu took a deep breath and listened to her father.

"Admiral Zhao has sent me a messenger hawk earlier today. Which is the main reason I called forth this meeting. He and his massive invasion force will be invading the Northern Water Tribe today. Probably even right now as we speak. By tomorrow night at the latest, the Northern Water will have fallen and the Moon Spirit removed forever."

Cazu eyes went wide as she jerk her head to stare at her father in disbelief. She didn't hear anything through the grapevine gossip of the servants about Zhao's invasion. The last she heard about it was during Zhao's proposal in the last war meeting. All the admirals and generals clapped in excitement about the Water Tribe's downfall.

"This meeting is adjourned." Akuzo announced. Everyone bowed and left quickly leaving their Princess and Fire Lord. Akuzo sighed, "What do you have to say?"

"How could you grant Zhao permission to eliminate the Moon Spirit? Bringing down the Water Tribe is one thing, but killing a spirit? Dad, that's going to bring the world out of balance!"

"We have nothing to worry about. This war will be over soon enough with the waterbenders gone."

"I can't believe how stupid you and the previous Fire Lords are." Cazu stood up and quickly walked off the platform.

"Cazu! Don't you dare talk to me that way." Akuzo growled.

The Fire Nation princess stopped and turned towards her father. "Are saying that to me as my father or as my Fire Lord?"

"What are you talking about?"

"What I'm talking about is that you have not been my father for the past nine years! For over half of my life I've seen Zeng, my servant, more times in one week than I ever had with you. You never let me walk outside the palace, the only time you ever see me is for these war meetings, and both of my friends are no longer in the Fire Nation. I hate living here!" Cazu shouted.

"Are you finished?" Akuzo casually asked.

"NO! I'm just getting started. If the world believed in Fire Lord Sozin's vision, we wouldn't be fighting in this stupid war for nearly one hundred years. Mom would still be alive. Also eliminating the Moon Spirit isn't going to hurt just the Water Tribes. Everyone will be affected, including the Fire Nation. We shouldn't mess with the spirits!"

"You have been around that circus fre… circus acrobat too much."

"She has a name! Her name is Ty Lee." Cazu clenched her fist. "Whether you like it or not, she is my girlfriend. I haven't seen her in two years since she ran away to join the circus."

"Why bother with her? She ran away."

"She ran away because her family was driving her crazy! Dad, I want to get out of here. I want to see Ty Lee, see Mai in Omashu, and I want to find that Fire Nation traitor."

Akuzo raised an eyebrow at his daughter. "You want to track down that girl? Cazu, you don't have any experience fighting. How could you possibly eliminate her?"

"Tch. This is exactly what I'm talking about. You know nothing about me!" With that Cazu walked out of the war room. Before she fully left she turned back to her father. "By the way, Zhao's forces don't stand a chance tonight or tomorrow. It's a full moon. The Fire Nation will lose against the Northern Water Tribe."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Hey, isn't that Appa?" Katara asked. Once again she was leaning against Azula as the two sat on a bench.

"I think Sokka is trying to impress Princess Yue, your highness." Azula replied while gently playing with Katara's hair loopies.

The waterbender smiled at her new nickname from Azula. "You do know you're the only one who can call be 'princess', right?"

"I feel very honored, my lady." Suddenly Azula felt Katara lightly smack her arm. "What?"

"You're enjoying this royalty nicknames for me aren't you?"

"You deserve it, Princess Katara."

Katara sat up and stared at Azula. "I could call you 'Princess Azula' if you want."

Azula shook her head. "No, you're definitely the princess in this case. I could be your… duke or duchess in this case."

"Duke. Duchess doesn't fit your personality. Fine, I'm Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, and you are Azula, Duke of Fluffiness."

The firebender banged her head in Katara's shoulder. "Fluffiness? You hadn't teased me about that in a while."

"I saw the way you looked at that Koalaotter yesterday." Katara wrapped her arms around Azula's neck and sat herself on the firebender's lap. "Just admit it, I have you whipped."

"No." Azula quietly responds starting to lean into Katara.

"As your princess, I order you to admit I have you whipped." Katara started leaning forward too.

"An order, huh? Yes. Yes, Princess Katara, you have me whipped." Azula began to close the gap, but before her lips could touch Katara's, the waterbender pulled away.

"Ow!" Katara reached up towards her cheek.

Before Azula could ask what happened there was black snow falling from the sky. The two benders looked towards the sky seeing heavy amounts of hot black snowflakes fall from the sky. Katara got up from Azula's lap. Azula knelt to the ground and picked up a handful of snow and black snow.

She brought the snow up to her nose. Immediately Azula recognized the scent. "Soot. There's soot falling."

"Azula." Katara responded just above a whisper.

Azula looked over to where Katara was looking. When she stood up she thought her whole world stop. There was huge black cloud with a massive naval fleet just barely seen across the horizon.

"The Fire Nation."


	13. The Siege of the North

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 12: The Siege of the North**

**Note:** Real note is at the end of the chapter.

**Disclaimer:** Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

Azula sat outside of the Council Hut with Aang. They listened to how quiet the tribe became when they learned of the Fire Nation's incoming raid. Sokka was with the other warriors preparing for an important mission. Azula would have gone with him if Katara didn't stop her.

"I want to put this out in the open." Aang said suddenly.

"What?"

"When we first arrived here, you were flirting with Katara during the banquet. You, Sokka, and Katara are my family, but I love Katara more than that. And I know you like her."

"I don't like her. I love her more than you do. You've known Katara for only a few months. I've known her for nearly ten years. I've noticed since Kyoshi Island you had a crush on her."

Aang was silent as he thought of his reply. "Then I guess we're rivals now."

"Don't flatter yourself. You're not even a player." With that Azula walked away from Aang.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Katara continued to lean against Azula as they saw more fireballs hit the tribe wall. Yue was trying hard not to cry as she watched her people fight for their tribe.

"As terrible as it sounds, I just wish they would break the wall already." Azula wished out loud. "We can't do much if they stay out at sea. Then again neither could they."

"What are they chances they're stupid enough to continue attacking us through out the night?" Katara asked rhetorically.

"It's been nearly eight five years since the Fire Nation attacked us. Why are they attacking us now?" Yue asked.

"Besides Ba Sing Se and Omashu, the Northern Water Tribe is the only stronghold against the Fire Nation." Azula answered casually. "If the Northern Tribe falls, there is no chance for the Southern Tribe. They already took all our waterbenders, except for Katara."

"All the attacks from the Southern Raiders stopped after Azula arrived to our tribe. Fire Lord Akuzo's navy hasn't been spotted around the south for a long time." Katara also filled in.

They stayed where they were until the sun was below the horizon.

"Aang!" Katara pointed towards the sky as Appa descended.

Once Appa landed, he laid on his belly exhausted. His feet were too tired to keep him up. Aang slowly slid off Appa's head to the ground leaning against his bison's forepaw.

"I can't do it." He says as he placed his hands on his head. "I can't do it."

"What happened?" Katara asked.

"I must have taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships, but there's just too many of them. I can't fight them all." Aang explained. He was panicking from all the stress.

"But, you have to!" Yue exclaimed. "You're the Avatar!"

"I'm just one kid." Aang replied in defeat.

"Which is why you need our help." Everyone looked over at Azula. "Yes, Aang is the Avatar, but he's not a fully realized Avatar. Even if he were, he would still need our help. Everyone needs help in some way."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Cazu looked at the full moon from her balcony window. After the war meeting and her outburst, all she could do think about was finding a way out of here. Zhao and his men were currently attacking the Northern Water Tribe. She thought about the war meeting Zhao proposed his attack. The princess leaned her head on the railing trying to block out the thought of what was happening in the north.

"Princess?" Zeng asked.

"Huh? Oh, what is it, Zeng?" Cazu looked back towards her room.

Zeng was the closest thing Cazu had to an older sister figure. "Usually after receiving a letter from Lady Ty Lee, you have one ready for me to send off to her after reading her letter."

"After the war meeting today, I didn't even bother reading her letter. She knows I miss her, but I can't express how much I miss her on paper. I need to get out of here, but my father isn't going to let that happen." She turned her attention back to the moon.

"Word has spread through the grapevine that Zhao is leading his attack on the North Pole as we speak."

"Yes, I heard about that at the war meeting. I was surprised that the information didn't go through the grapevine earlier. I have a really bad feeling about this though. Something terrible is going to happen but I can't explain it."

"Then I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I will." Cazu turned her attention back to Zeng. "Your father has asked for you."

"In his war room?" The princess asked coldly.

"At the Turtle Duck pond."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Katara looked over at Azula for the umpteenth time Aang crossed over into the Spirit World arrived at the Oasis. She couldn't tell if the firebender was sleeping or meditating.

"So, is Azula your girlfriend?" Yue suddenly asked.

"What?" Katara blushed. "Wha… well… I…"

"Since you're nervous I'll take that as a yes." Yue smiled. "You're lucky, at least you two can be happy with each other."

"The thing is… she's not my girlfriend. I have feelings for her and I'm positive she returns them. I understand why my grandmother left the Northern Tribe. Your customs for arranged marriage are just wrong. You should be able to love whom ever you choose. Especially with my case, if I grew up here I know I wouldn't be able to be with Azula."

Suddenly they heard screaming beyond the cave of the Oasis. "The Fire Nation has broken through the outer wall!"

"I better go help the other waterbenders!" Katara exclaimed.

"No."

Yue and Katara turned their attention to Azula. The firebender's golden eyes glowed piercingly through the darkness. "I'm going. It's nearly daybreak. I don't want you getting hurt out there. The Fire Nation will have the advantage. And I have a personal score to settle with Zhao."

"I can fight too, you know? I didn't spend the last month training with Master Pakku for nothing." Katara said as she poked Azula's shoulder.

"I know you can fight. We all know you can fight. But I don't want you to until nightfall. We could be dealing with elite benders and I'll feel much better knowing you're here waiting for Aang to cross back over."

Katara opened her mouth to argue, but was cut off when she felt Azula's lips on hers. Azula pulled away after a few seconds.

"I know, I'll be careful." With that Azula ran out of the Oasis cave leaving Katara speechless.

"So, does that make you two girlfriends officially now?" Yue innocently asked.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Not wanting to immediately give away her identity to the Fire Nation soldiers, Azula drew her broad swords and began blocking attacks and countering every move Fire Nation soldiers were attempting. The other Water Tribe warriors and waterbenders spent a month becoming familiar with Azula and remember she was their ally.

"Duck!" One waterbender shouted towards her. Azula immediately did what she was told as a huge steam of water flew over her freezing a Fire Nation soldier.

The waterbender and Azula smiled at each other. There was a Fire Nation soldier right behind the waterbender. Before she knew it, Azula pushed the waterbender out of the way and fire bended the fire blast by pulling it back with her and sending it flying back towards the soldier.

"I better count my blessings you know how to bend fire like water." The waterbender quickly joked before running off to help the other soldiers and benders.

Azula walked over to the soldier who was groaning. Memories of Lu Ten's death flashed before her eyes, as she smelt the burnt blood of the Fire Nation soldier. Azula knelt down to the soldier and lifted him up.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Why are you fighting in this war?"

The soldier didn't ask her any more questions as Azula slowly helped him to one of the nursing huts. All the female waterbenders looked at Azula as if she was crazy bringing in a Fire Nation soldier. Yugoda was the first to respond.

"Where are his injuries?"

"He's burnt badly in the chest." Azula struggled in lowering the soldier without hurting him even further.

"Yugoda! You can't possibly help him? He's a Fire Nation soldier." One woman questioned.

"But he's still a human being. We could only hope the Fire Nation would do the same for our men." Yugoda replied. "This is going to sting a little." She began healing the soldier.

Azula got up and started walking out of the hut. "I'm fighting for my wife and unborn child." The female firebender stopped and looked back at the soldier. "I was never good in school, but I needed a job to provide for my family."

"Then you better not attack these healers. Remember your life is in their hands. Literally." Azula said giving the soldier a warm smile easing the tension in the room. "I helped you because I wished there was someone who could for my cousin."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The sun had fully set below the horizon. Azula fought along side the waterbenders and Water Tribe soldiers nonstop since daybreak. She understood the struggle Aang had the previous day. No matter how many Fire Nation soldiers were taken out, more kept replacing those who have fallen. She couldn't remember when, but at some point she gave up using her swords and redirected all of the attacks towards the soldiers. Azula made sure to control the fire so it was enough to knock the soldiers out and not kill them.

The whole time she was fighting, Azula never firebended an attack herself. She was saving her energy for Zhao. Azula knew he was here. She knew he was leading this invasion. And she was right.

There was Zhao riding a Komodo Rhino, just like the time on Kyoshi Island. The waterbender and Water Tribe soldiers were too busy fighting the Fire Nation soldiers to noticed Zhao casually making his way through the tribe.

Azula fought her way past Fire Nation soldier after soldier. Some she maneuvered herself around avoiding any confrontation at all. She stayed behind the admiral and his men far enough so the Komodo Rhinos wouldn't get agitated. Azula was a good two full length Komodo Rhinos away from the Fire Nation admiral.

She recognized where Zhao was headed. The Oasis. Before the firebender could attack Zhao, she heard a scream coming towards her. Azula rolled her eyes as the Fire Nation soldier charged at her with his spear. She raised her arm above her head into a high block breaking the spear's tip and countered by driving a punch directly into the soldier's nose. The soldier fell to the ground unconscious with a bloody nose.

When she finally arrived at the cave entrance to the Oasis, Zhao's men had tied Yue, Katara, Sokka, and Aang to the shrine gate. Stayed hidden in the entrance's shadows waiting to see what Zhao would do.

Zhao reached into the pond grabbing the white koi fish and forcing it in a bag. As the white koi fish struggled to escape the bag, the moon changed to bloody red. Aang and Yue groaned in pain.

"I am the legend now! The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon! The will call me, Zhao the conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! ZHAO THE INVINCIBLE!" He shouted.

Suddenly Momo jumped on top of Zhao pulling his sides burns causing trouble. Momo flew towards Azula as the guards surrounded Zhao trying to help him.

"Get off of me you imbeciles!" Zhao bent a stream of fire around him forcing his men to back away. He looked to the entrance seeing Azula glare at him. She took a stance ready to attack Zhao.

"Don't bother!" Zhao held up his hand that held a knife towards the bag containing the Moon Spirit.

"Zhao! Don't!" Aang begged. "Azula, don't fight him!"

"I'd listen to the Avatar if I were you. It's my destiny to destroy the Moon and the Water Tribe." The admiral boasted.

Azula felt her whole body shake as she struggled between letting Zhao slay the Moon Spirit or attempt to protect the white koi. "I can't allow you to do that, Zhao. If we didn't need the moon it wouldn't be here right now. Firebenders need the moon just as much as the waterbenders do. The moon is the sun's opposite. We all depend on the balance!"

Zhao laughed at Azula. "You try to sound like an old wise man. You're just a teenager. We, firebenders, draw our power from the sun. With the moon gone, the Fire Nation will be invincible."

"Let the spirit go now!" Azula shouted getting lower in her stance.

"Ah… no."

Time seemed to slow down as everyone watched in horror. Zhao stabbed the knife through the bag killing the Moon Spirit. Suddenly all natural lighting had vanished. For the first time in seven years, Azula was blinded by rage.

"Men, take the Avatar to the ship and apprehend the traitor!" Zhao ordered his soldiers.

Before the Fire Nation soldiers could surround the female firebender, Azula attacked all the men firebending her blue fire every direction she could. Hitting every single man to the ground unconscious. Once she was sure the were knocked out Azula shot two small fire blasts from her finger tips burn part of the bindings to her friends. She looked around the Oasis not seeing Zhao anywhere.

There wasn't much time. She had to find Zhao before he escaped. Azula ran out of the Oasis not hearing Katara yell for her.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Panicking was an understatement to what was happening at the Fire Nation palace. Chaos had spread through the palace as the guards frantically searched for their Fire Lord and Princess, the servants tried to find and light more candles and lanterns as quickly as possible, and the many nobles and their ladies were shouting through out Caldera City to all the confusion.

One minute Cazu was talking to her father, sharing a moment she hadn't experienced since she was five, to being confused along with everyone else on why the moon turned red, then suddenly there was no moon at all. Cazu felt her father's hand on her shoulder. It was a grip of a father protecting his child, not of a Fire Lord.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The music instantly stopped when the lighting of the moon turned red. A young acrobat in pink stopped abruptly in the middle of her dance and stared at the moon with the rest of the circus troupe. She knew immediately the Moon Spirit was in trouble. When the moon suddenly vanished only the lanterns and campfire were illuminating through the darkness. The troupe continued to stare towards the sky.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

In the once great city Omashu, Fire Nation citizens were panicking as well. No one knew what was happening, not even the governor. Silently the governor's daughter found the chaos amusing. It wasn't every day the moon vanishes creating havoc in a city she hated the most.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The entire Southern Water Tribe village looked up to the sky. The only source of light was the bonfire in the central part of the village. Kya and Kanna held their breath praying their family was safe. If this was a sign, they feared of losing someone they care about.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula stopped running for a split second to see a giant koi fish creature illuminating the tribe. She squinted her eyes and saw Aang in the Avatar State controlling the koi fish creature. Hesitantly Azula ran away from Aang and tried to find Zhao.

He jumped off the tier onto a wall ledge. Azula shot a blast just barely missing him. Zhao stopped running and turned his attention to Azula.

"How is that possible? How could your fire be blue?"

The female firebender ignored the admiral as she launched a few blasts toward him. Not expecting the fire to be hotter or stronger, Zhao was burnt in the process of dodge rolling away from the blasts. Azula was now standing on the walls edge along with Zhao.

She continued her attack, shooting volley after volley of fire blasts towards Zhao. Azula did not leave any recovery time for the admiral. With every attack she made towards Zhao, the same deep cold voice that taught her to redirect heat was chanting, "Finish him. He's weak. He doesn't deserve to live. Only the strong survive."

Zhao made the mistake of leaving his chest unguarded. Azula took advantage of his slip up to send a blast from her side kick, hitting him hard right on the chest. The admiral lost his balancing falling to the ground. Just as Azula was about to strike a final blow, she barely saw a fireball flying towards her head.

Several of Zhao's men, two firebenders, a spearman, and a swordsman came to their admiral's aid. "She's a traitor to the Fire Nation! Kill her!" Zhao ordered.

Without thinking the soldiers ran towards Azula. She just barely ducked a fireball flying over her head as she positioned herself directly underneath the firebender. Remembering what Suki taught her back on Kyoshi Island, Azula lifted the soldier up as she stood tossing him over her, past the wall's edge into the canal.

The spearman quickly responded attempting to jab the female firebender only to have his spearhead cut of and the rest of that pole sliced down the middle. Azula drew her broadswords to protect herself. Still in shock, Azula took advantage of the situation to hit the spearman with the bottom of her swords hilt knocking him unconscious. The swordsman thrust his sword as Azula just barely evade the attack. Azula slammed the hilt of her swords in the soldier's wrist causing him to drop the sword as his arm went numb. She grabbed him by his collar and tossed the swordsman into the canal.

Azula turned her attention to the firebender who was staring at her in both awe and fear. "As cliché as this is going to sound. We can do this either the easy way or the hard way? Your choice." She took one step forward.

She expected the firebender to either run away or attack her. What he did surprised her. He ran past her and dove into the canal screaming. Azula just shook her head not understanding what had just happened, but she quickly snapped out of it remembering Zhao.

He was halfway across a bridge when Azula sent a long stream of fire towards the admiral. Zhao just barely dodge the blue fire. The admiral turned around seeing Azula fully prepared to fight him.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Uncle, what's an Agni Kai?" Azula asked her uncle one day after her firebending lesson.

"An Agni Kai is a fire duel. Something I hope you would never have to participate in."

"Why?"

Her uncle picked her up and sat her down on a near by rock making sure he had her full attention. "An Agni Kai only happens when there is conflict between two people who fight for honor. Agni Kais are about honor. If you lose you could be scarred or worse killed."

The young firebender gulped.

"Killed?"

"Yes, killed. After the reign of Fire Lord Sozin, many firebenders believe that losing an Agni Kai duel and one's honor is not worth living."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Zhao! I challenge you to an Agni Kai!"

"You are more annoying that a spiderfly. I'm surprised you even know what an Agni Kai is. I accept your challenge, and when I'm done with you, you'll be wishing I'd have killed you." Zhao took a firebending stance.

The two firebenders stared each other down waiting to see who would make the first move. The first move would decide who would win. Losing his patience Zhao attacked first sending ten simultaneous fireballs towards Azula.

She jumped over the row of fireballs. Not allowing her a chance to recover, Zhao kicked a stream of fire to the ground leaving nowhere for Azula to land. Azula took a deep breath before releasing fire shield underneath her dispersing Zhao's flames when she landed.

Still on the ground, Azula kicked towards Zhao's leg, tripping the admiral. She turned away from Zhao sending a reverse sidekick towards his face using the momentum of her kick to get her to stand again. Zhao kept falling backwards as Azula attacked him physically with out any fire.

Azula slammed her elbow into his face before grabbing him by the shoulders and smashing her knee into his gut. With Zhao doubled over grasping his stomach, Azula finished her attack hitting the admiral across the face with a right hook sending him to the ground.

Instinctively Azula hovered over Zhao ready to strike him. The same cold voice from earlier was back.

"He's down. Now is your chance. Kill him. He's weak!" The cold voice barked.

She raised her arm preparing to strike when she suddenly heard Roku. "No, Azula! Remember what you were taught."

Azula froze remembering the rest of what her uncle told her the day she asked about Agni Kai.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Yes, killed. After the reign of Fire Lord Sozin, many firebenders believe that losing an Agni Kai duel and one's honor is not worth living. I personally do not believe in that philosophy. Honor is not something you need to defend. No one can take away or give you honor. You make your own honor. If you ever have to fight an Agni Kai, Azula, spare your opponent's life. Showing generosity is a greater honor than killing or scarring someone."

The young prodigy nodded her head showing she understood her uncle.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

What felt like minutes were mere seconds, as Azula punched a ball of fire purposely missing Zhao's face. Just barely.

"That's it?" The admiral questioned as if he was mocked. "You're not a true firebender. You're weak. You're a traitor. You have no honor."

"No." Azula stared hard into Zhao's eyes. "Honor is something no one can give or take from me. No one can neither take nor give to you as well. I've proven that I am stronger between the two of us since you're the one on the ground. To the eyes of Fire Lord Akuzo, I am a traitor of the Fire Nation. But at least I have friends and family who are loyal to me because of who I am. Unlike you're alone instilling fear into your men for their loyalty. I have greater honor than you, Zhao."

Azula turned on her heel walking away from Zhao. She had done what her uncle, Roku, and her heart told her, spare Zhao from humiliation and his life.

Zhao felt insulted. Losing to a teenage girl and lectured by her at the same time. He jumped to his feet and sent a stream of fire towards Azula's back.

The firebending prodigy felt the fire coming behind her and was ready to counter the stream by 'waterbending' the fire. Suddenly a giant glowing hand blocked the stream of fire from hitting Azula. Both Azula and Zhao looked up to see where the hand connected to to see the giant koi fish create the Ocean Spirit had taken form in.

Being in the presence of the Ocean Spirit sent a shiver down Azula's spine as she immediately dropped to her knees and bowed to the spirit. With her eyes down towards the ground she noticed her shadow. Azula's eyes widened.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Akuzo's grip on Cazu's shoulder loosened when the moon suddenly reappeared once again. The chaos of the palace and Caldera City immediately came to a silence.

Cazu could hear some of the Imperial Firebenders and servants whisper to each other.

"Was it a lunar eclipse?"

"Is this a rare cosmic occurrence like Sozin's Comet?"

The Fire Nation Princess knew this was the doing of neither a lunar eclipse nor cosmic event like Sozin's Comet. She closed her eyes.

"Dad, I can already tell we've lost the Siege of the North." Cazu whispered before fully walking away.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Ty Lee finally let out the breath she didn't realize she held. The whole circus troupe looked at each other in confusion to what had just happened. Not able to come up with an answer they began playing music again while others continued dancing.

The young acrobat however, kept starring at the moon. She felt something different with this new moon that was glowing. It wasn't the same spirit.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Mai sighed when the havoc of Omashu finally died down with the moon's return. "Oh well, it was fun while it lasted." She mumbled.

She felt a tug on her robe. Mai looked down to see her little brother smiling up at her. Even though her expression displayed an emotion of no interest, Mai knew if Ty Lee were here, the acrobat wouldn't stop talking about how pink Mai's aura was when she was around Tom Tom. Mai picked up her baby brother bring a smile to the boy's face.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Kanna's narrowed her eyes when the moon returned. Realizing what had just happened.

"Kanna?" Kya questioned as she looked at her mother-in-law's face.

"I have a story to tell you, Kya. Knowing your children, especially Katara and Azula, they probably already know." Kanna gently guided her daughter-in-law back to their igloo. The rest of the night was spent Kanna telling Kya about her past.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"It can't be!" Zhao shouted.

Azula looked up to the sky to see the moon had indeed returned glowing brightly in the night sky. She heard several screams in the distance. With the moon back the waterbenders have the ability to bend water again and had the advantage over the Fire Nation soldiers.

Remembering she was in the presence of the Ocean Spirit, Azula bowed her head down once more. She didn't lift her head until she heard a large quantity of water submerge into the canal below the bridge. Azula looked around not seeing Zhao anywhere. Slowly she stood up and saw Zhao's cloak floating in the canal.

The prodigy blinked several times taking in what had just happened. She looked back up to the moon before running back to the Oasis. Azula didn't care what was happening around her. She kept running until she arrived to the Oasis.

When she to the cave entrance she knew immediately something was wrong. Slowly Azula walked into the Oasis taking in the scene before her. The Moon and Ocean spirits were once again dancing their eternal dance, Katara had her faced covered by her hands crying, and Sokka held desperately to a young dark haired woman as he cried. Azula looked closer and lost her breath realizing the young woman with dark brown hair was Yue.

Azula walked over to Sokka and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. He didn't bother looking up as he kept crying into Yue's lifeless body. The firebender quietly got up and walked over to Katara. She knelt down in front of the waterbender and gently grabbed hold of Katara's hands pulling them down.

Tears continued falling as Katara's saddened blue orbs stared back in Azula's concerned gold orbs. No words were said, as the two embraced not wanting to let the other one go. Katara silently cried into Azula's shoulder.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The entire tribe was at the Central Plaza grieving as they watched their princess being cremated. The few Fire Nation soldiers who did not make it back to their ships were also present, including the one Azula saved. This moment proved that even enemies could meet common ground and respect each other.

Every Fire Nation soldier was remembering the funeral of Fire Lord Azulon, Prince Ozai, and Prince Lu Ten. They were shocked to hear that the Royal Family was overthrown by a coup nine years ago. None of the soldiers knew that it was their current Fire Lord who had led the coup to overthrow Fire Lord Azulon. They knew that Prince Iroh, and Prince Ozai's family was missing, but after seven years the missing Royal Family members were to be assumed deceased. None of them realized they were in the presence of their princess.

Azula stared blankly at Yue's burning body reflecting all of her battles as if it happened only a few seconds ago. Katara held onto Azula's hand needing to feel Azula so she knew everything that happened in the last forty-eight hours wasn't a dream.

"Azula?" The firebender looked to her left to see Aang.

"I would feel honored if you would be my firebending master." Aang looked down quickly before looking back up to Azula. "I know I haven't been the best student to my previous teachers, but I don't want anyone else to teach me how to firebend. I'll understand if don't want to teach me because of our rivalry…"

"Aang, I told you. There is no rivalry and you know that. And I refuse to teach you how to firebend."

Aang looked down at the ground in defeat.

"I refuse to teach you until your earthbending teacher tells me you have mastered earthbending." Azula gave a small smile to the Air Nomad.

He looked up in surprise and nodded. "Will you at least help me with the breathing exercises?" He asked.

"No. If I did, you'll be tempted to produce fire. No lessons until you mastered water and earthbending." Azula turned her attention back to Yue's cremation silently telling Aang the conversation was over.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The next day, Katara was woken up hearing coughing and wheezing. She looked over at Azula seeing the firebender curled up in the fetal position shivering. "Azula!"

Katara placed her hand on Azula's forehead. Azula's body temperature was always naturally warmer than Katara's, but the moment she placed her hand on Azula's forehead Katara pulled it back as if her hands were burned again.

Azula coughed violently. Katara was by her side in an instant with a cup of water on hand. The waterbender barely lifted Azula placing the edge of the cup on the firebender's lips.

"C'mon, Azula. Open your mouth and drink it." Katara quietly begged.

Katara managed to get Azula to gulp down some water before the firebender grabbed her hand and jerked the cup away. Aang and Sokka watched helplessly not knowing what was happening. Both Sokka and Katara knew something was wrong. Azula never got sick. Not once when they were growing up did the firebender ever catch a cold or ran a fever.

"Aang, go find Yugoda, she'll know where to find the doctor. Hurry!" Katara shouted.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yugoda pulled her hands away from Azula's chest. Aang and Sokka were outside of the hut waiting to be let back in. Katara stayed with Yugoda as she watched the elder waterbender try to heal Azula.

"I brought her temperature down a little, very little. This is not an ordinary illness." Yugoda explained to Katara. "It seems to me, Azula is going through a spiritual illness."

"What does that mean?" Katara had just finished pulling a dry shirt on Azula.

"It means something must have happened yesterday to trigger internal conflict in Azula's spirit. Think of it this way. If Azula was an evil Fire Nation soldier who suddenly decided to help a water tribe peasant and it went against what she believe to be her destiny, she would also be conflicting internally trying to understand what is right and what is wrong."

"But, Azula does know! Are you saying Azula is going to betray us when she wakes up?" Katara panicked.

Yugoda chuckled. "No. I'm not denying that Azula is struggling right now to find the right path, but I believe she knows that being with you and the Avatar is what's best for her. I'll send down Teruko later with something I want Azula to drink when she wakes up. It's a special tea that'll help her get her strength back. Just make sure to keep her hydrated. Also don't be afraid to use your healing abilities, even if it doesn't do much, it'll will still help a little."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Several days have passed. Katara stayed by Azula's side the whole time. Sokka had to force Katara to take breaks while he watched over the firebender. Azula's temperature dropped significantly to what was normal body temperature for the firebender. Katara rested her head on Azula's chest as she started to fall asleep.

Azula took a deep breath before opening her eyes. It took her a few minutes to register her surrounding. Azula finally breathed when she felt Katara's head on her chest. She subconsciously stroked the waterbender's hair, content with the quiet and stillness of early morning.

"You're awake." Katara said quietly not opening her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

The firebender stayed silent. She continued to take deep breaths as she stroked Katara's hair. "I feel the need to have time stop so we can stay here. Just you and I."

"As your friend? Or…" Katara was silenced as Azula kissed her.

"As my girlfriend." The firebender finished.

Azula smiled against Katara's lips as she was pushed onto her back and continued to kiss the waterbender. Katara pulled back and pressed her forehead against Azula's. Their smiles grew understanding what the other was saying in their eyes before bringing their lips together once more.

* * *

**Note: **First off, thank you too all of those who have been following the story since the first three chapters. More chapters are to come, this story is far from being finished. Next chapter will be the start of Book 2 and you'll be seeing more of Cazu. Don't worry, Cazu is not going to turn out like AtLA!Azula. **I hope those who are reading enjoyed Book 1 of Golden Wolf Warrior.**

Yes, I did borrow some ideas from The Last Airbender. There were parts from the movie I appreciated more than in the series.

1. There's a cave entrance to the Oasis, not a door.  
2. Yue's body didn't disappear like a Jedi. I liked how her hair turned back to her dark brown hair and her spirit became the Moon Spirit.

Please keep the reviews coming, this way I know what you ladies and gentlemen are thinking about the story.


	14. Two Lovers

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 13: Two Lovers**

**Note:** Here it is the first chapter to Book 2. Mainly focused on Cazu.

**Disclaimer:** Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

**

* * *

**

Cazu groaned as she stretched reaching as far as she could towards the sky. She had to grab the side of the ship to prevent herself from falling because she was slightly lighted headed after a much needed stretch. The Fire Nation princess looked out to the ocean enjoying the freedom her father had given her.

The ship was heading eastbound to one of the near by Fire Nation colonies. Cazu and the crew have been out at sea for nearly a week. Everyone on board the ship was full of optimism. Most of the crew who worked the ship never left the Fire Nation. It was a new experience for them as well as their princess.

Despite her status, Cazu was always up and helping the crew out with whatever she could. She never cared for her status as princess, which surprised a handful of the crew members. Cazu was currently on break from sweeping the deck.

"Princess Cazu?" The captain of the ship asked.

Cazu snapped out of her daze. "Huh? Oh, yes Captain?"

"Princess, I'm afraid the tides will not allow us to bring the ship in to port before nightfall."

"Oh? Darn, I was hoping to look around the village. Are you sure there's no way for us to pull into port?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Do what you must so we get into port safely. We wouldn't want to upset the Ocean Spirit now would we?" Cazu smiled towards the captain.

The captain didn't know how to respond. "I'm not sure if I understand, princess."

"Don't worry about it captain. The ship is in your hands. Make sure we arrive safely." With that Cazu began sweeping the decks again.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

When twilight was upon them, the ship was a little closer to the port than they were earlier that day. The tides were still fighting against the ship. Cazu was standing in the middle of the deck with her eyes closed. She slowly breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth trying to feel the setting sun on her.

Once her mind was focused. Cazu bent her right knee down into an angled front stance as she brought left hand down and up, she shifted to her left side repeating the same motion. She brought her fingertips together briefly before shooting her right hand out as if to send an attack towards the sea. Like previous attempts before a huge explosion blew up in Cazu's face.

The force of the explosion threw Cazu to the ground. Cazu blew out a small ball of fire from her mouth in frustration as she stared to the sky. She laid down on the deck's surface not caring to get back up this time.

"You understand the motion."

"However, you do not understand how to separate your yin energy from your yang energy."

Cazu turned her head to the right looking up at the stairs to the cabin doors. At the top of the stairs sat two old women who were watching Cazu very closely. The two old women were identical twins. They have been training Cazu since she was five. The Fire Nation princess had still yet to figure out who was who.

"How is it that you two know how to firebend, but are not firebenders yourself?" Cazu asked as she sat up.

"Anyone can learn, teach, and understand the art forms." One of the old women replied.

"Not everyone can perfect the art forms to become true firebending masters." The other twin replied immediately afterwards.

"Li, Lo, please stop speaking in riddles." Cazu practically begged as she covered her face with her hands.

"It's no riddle." The two replied at the same time.

"What did you mean about true firebending masters? It's not the first time you've said that to me."

"Any firebender can be a firebending master." Li started.

"But only those who find their drives can be a true firebending master." Lo continued.

"Find your drive, you find the sun, find the sun, you become one with Agni." Together the twins finished.

Cazu stood up and looked towards the barely visible port. Her mind wandered off to Ty Lee. It was then did Cazu feel the world around her shift slightly. Without thinking Cazu went through the motions to lighting bend again. For a split second she thought she had it. However, Cazu found herself looking up to the sky again.

"Almost perfect."

"You lost focus at the last second."

The princess groaned in frustration.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Princess. I'm sorry, but I must object. I have no business wearing your clothes so we can fool the colonials that I am you." Zeng objected.

"Zeng, please! I'm asking you- no, begging you as a friend not a servant to master thing to do this for me. Most of the colonials don't know what I look like." Cazu started pleading.

"Which is exactly why this is a bad idea."

Cazu sighed and sat on her bed. "Not for me. I don't want people to know I'm the Princess. Ty Lee doesn't even know I am here…"

"Yet. She doesn't know you're here yet. Once you walk off this ship word will spread to the circus real quickly."

"That's why I need you to go out there pretending to be me! If I go out there I'll never be able to get out of the village to go see her. Don't make me get down on my knees, I will if I really have to, but I'd rather not."

Zeng rolled her eyes. "ALRIGHT! I'll do it. You owe me big time."

"Thank you!" Cazu hugged Zeng.

After informing the whole ship of the princess' plan, the entire village waited at the ports waiting to get a glimpse of their princess. The colonials created a semi-circle around the gangplank watching as two rows of Imperial firebenders walked down to the port.

Following the Imperial Firebenders was Zeng pretending to be Princess Cazu. Cazu was close behind Zeng disguised as a servant. All of the colonials were in awe to see their 'princess' for the first time.

Trusting the Imperial Firebenders to distract the crowd and helping Zeng, Cazu slipped away from the Royal Procession. Once she made her way out of the crowd the firebender ran into the words making her way up to the circus.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

As Cazu walked through the woods she placed a poncho over her servant clothes. Cazu froze when she heard someone talking just near the woods' edge. Slowly she walked up to one of the near by trees and hid behind it as she peeked around the tree and smiled. She smiled because it was Ty Lee who was talking.

Ty Lee was petting the head to an Armadillo Lion. "You've gotten so much better standing on your brother as he spins. Good job girl!" The acrobat praised the Armadillo Lion.

Cazu's smile grew with each passing minute. Just being a few feet away from the acrobat sent Cazu's heart flying. Two years was too long for her to be away from her girlfriend. Just as she was about to make herself known to the acrobat she hid again as another member of the circus troupe approached Ty Lee.

"Hey, did you hear? The princess is in the village!"

"What? Are you sure?" Ty Lee asked.

"Yep. The Royal Procession and ship is at the port right now!" With that the female circus member ran off, most likely to go see Zeng as the princess.

The acrobat turned her attention back to the Armadillo Lioness. "I thought Cazu would at least let me know she was going to come." She said sadly.

The lioness licked Ty Lee's face trying to cheer the girl up. Ty Lee giggled. "You remind me so much of Cazu. I always knew she was a lioness. She's strong, brave, and she's noble. I don't mean her noble status either. I miss her so much." Ty Lee pressed her forehead into the lioness' muzzle as if to hug the animal.

Ty Lee snapped her head when she heard a twig snap followed by someone cursing. She got into a fighting stance a lot of benders were not familiar with. "Who's there?"

The firebender sighed as she realized there was no recovery for her error. Slowly she stepped into plain sight. Both girls didn't know what to say. Cazu walked up to Ty Lee until they were at arms length.

"Hello… Ty Lee."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula and Sokka were trying hard not to kill the music nomads. The nomads have been driving them crazy since they first ran into them. It is because of the nomads they were standing outside the mouth of a cave that supposedly had a curse.

"What exactly is this curse?" Sokka asked.

"The curse says that only those who trust in love can make it through the caves. Otherwise you'll be trapped in them forever." Chong explained.

"And die." Lily finished.

"Oh, yeah, and die. Hey-"

The firebender rolled her eyes and ignored the rest of what Chong had to say. Her arm was shaking as she tried to restrain herself from hurting the musical nomads.

"Hey." Katara grabbed hold of Azula's arm. "I'm so proud of how you're not attempting to murder them."

"Trust me, it's really hard to. They're driving me crazy Katara." Katara smiled and pecked Azula's cheek.

"Hey, someone's making a camp fire!" Moku exclaimed.

Azula and Katara looked to the sky looking at the black column of smoke. "That's no campfire, Moku."

"It's the Fire Nation. They're tracking us."

"So, all you need is to trust in love to get through these caves?" Aang asked.

Katara wrapped her arms around Azula's arm giving it a light squeeze. "If that's all we need we can make it." The waterbender whispered to her girlfriend's ear.

"I would hope so." Azula smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too." Katara lightly pecked Azula's lips before everyone walked into the cave.

They were just barely out of sight from the cave's mouth and they suddenly heard a loud boom closing the natural source of light leaving the group in the dark. Azula held out her hand cast a small blue flame giving an ominous light through the cave. Appa was on his hind legs trying to dig through the trap.

"Do you guys have a torch?" Azula asked.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Ty Lee closed the distance between her and the firebender by wrapping her arms around Cazu's midsection. She closed her eyes and placed her head on the princess' shoulder. Cazu returned the embrace wrapping her arms around the acrobat's shoulder holding the pink clad girl closer.

They pulled away just enough to bring their lips together. The kiss sent a renewed spark between the two girls as they deepened the kiss. When they finally pulled back they were breathing heavily due to the lack of air.

"I missed you so much." Ty Lee hugged the firebender again.

"I missed you too. So much more than I could ever say to you in my letters."

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I wanted to surprise you. Did I pass?" Cazu felt Ty Lee's lips on hers again, confirming the princess' answer.

Ty Lee pulled Cazu over to a near by bench as they sat down. "How did you get out of the palace? From what you told me there was no way your father would let you out. Especially if it was to see me." The acrobat looked down at her lap sadly.

Cazu lifted her girlfriend chin so they were looking each other in the eye. "After pulling a few typical teenage girl out bursts on him, we have come to an understanding. Also I am to track down this girl."

The princess handed a rolled up scroll to the acrobat. Ty Lee carefully unrolled the scroll and read it's contents. The pink clad girl became serious as she realized she was reading a wanted poster.

"Cazu, you don't plan on… killing her are you?"

"I actually don't plan on bringing her back to my father. I want to fight her to see who's the better firebender. She grew up in the Water Tribe. She has to have learned to firebender in the waterbending style. This is an opportunity I can't pass up, Ty Lee. My firebending style is slightly different from the other firebenders because of all the acrobatic techniques you taught me. Fighting someone who firebenders in a different style sounds so exciting I could hardly sleep when Zeng handed me the wanted poster about a two months ago."

The firebender was practically bouncing in her seat of excitement like a little kid. Ty Lee giggled seeing her girlfriend's aura spark many shades of pink. She missed these moments with the firebender. Leaving Cazu behind was the only thing Ty Lee regretted doing when she ran away from home. Ty Lee thought back to that night Cazu had caught her on the edge of Caldera City and how the firebender begged her not to leave. It took a little convincing, but Cazu finally understood why Ty Lee was leaving and gave the acrobat a kiss before heading back to the palace while Ty Lee left the Fire Nation.

"Well, you better get going." Ty Lee said as she stood up as she reached for the sky stretching. The acrobat knew she was giving her girlfriend a good view of her muscular lower back. Cazu mixed looked of question and lust. Ty Lee grabbed hold of Cazu's hands and forced the firebender to stand. "The sooner you find that girl, the sooner I can have you all to myself. How soon do you think it'll be until I see you next?"

"I'm not going to dive in head first searching for that girl, Ty Lee. My second stop is to Omashu. Mai is more than likely bored out of her mind there. After I see her I'll stop by here again before I go searching for that Water Tribe firebender. Okay?"

"One week." Ty Lee wrapped her arms around Cazu's neck drawing the firebender's face closer to hers. "You have one week before you come back to visit me. If you get done early the better, but if you miss your deadline, the next time I see you I'm going to chi block you and you will not get away from me."

The princess smiled as she quickly kissed her girlfriend's nose. "I promise I'll be back in one week or sooner."

"Good."

They sealed the deal with a kiss.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Katara and Azula had been wandering for several hours. Even though they were cut off from the sun, Azula's natural feel for the sun allowed her to estimate how much time had gone by.

"We're not going to make it are we? I love you with all my heart, Azula. I know you love me just as much, so why can't we find our way out of here?" Azula could tell from Katara's voice that the waterbender was tired and hungry.

"I've been wondering about the inscription back in the tombs." Azula replied calmly.

"The one with the statues?"

"Yes. It said 'Love is brightest in the dark.' I wonder if that had more than one meaning behind it. There's the meaning we first interpret of how love can bring the light into dark times like the war. But what if it had something to do with the tunnels as well."

The waterbender's eyes widened slightly as she understood what her girlfriend was saying. "That's right. Oma and Shu made these tunnels so they could meet in secret. There had to be a way for them to find each other with out someone following them."

Azula turned her attention to Appa. "Don't worry boy, if my theory is correct we won't be in the dark for long, okay?"

Appa barely gave a groan. Getting the bison's approval, Azula closed her palm distinguishing the flame. Almost immediately crystals on the tunnel ceiling showed a small path lighting the tunnel.

"They look like crystals!" Katara explained.

"I wonder if they're made of the same crystals in Omashu. They lit up the rooms to the palace the last time we were there." Azula replied slightly proud that her deductions were once again correct.

"That's how the two lovers found each other. They just put out their lights and followed the crystals. Azula you're a genius!" Katara glomped and kissed her girlfriend.

"Yeah, I know." Azula teased.

"Watch it, Azula. You're head is getting rather big for this tunnel." Katara countered lightly slapping the firebender's arm.

The sky bison groaned getting the attention of the two girls. "Right, find exit and then we celebrate. That must be the exit right there. C'mon Azula!"

Like many times before Azula was dragged by the waterbender. After so many years, the firebender could care less. The two girls made room for Appa to run ahead of them as they followed him closely. They squinted their eyes as the sun beamed down towards them upon exiting the cave. Appa was already lying on his back relieved to be out of the tunnel.

"I know how you feel, Appa." Azula joined the sky bison lying on the ground soaking up the energy of the sun in her veins. Katara sat down stroking Azula's hair.

Suddenly Azula shot up. "Wait, what about the others?"

As if on cue two were blown out from the wall on either side of the tunnel's exit. Once the debris cleared, the two girls could clearly see the two badger moles carrying their friends. Both the firebender and waterbender looked at each other before giggling.

While Katara said her goodbyes to the nomads and Chong trying to give Sokka his words of wisdom, Azula looked out towards the hills she and her friends would have to cross to get to Omashu. Aang walked up to Azula also staring at the hills.

"I guess this makes it official. I really wasn't a player in the game for Katara's affection. Wasn't I?"

"No, you weren't. Don't give up, Aang. I'm sure you'll find someone out there and they'll love you for who you are. Not because you're the Avatar. We don't want a repeat of Kyoshi Island now do we?"

Aang smiled and blushed at the memory. "No, we don't. Let's go. The sooner I learn earthbending the sooner I can learn firebending."

"Aang." Azula warned.

"I'll be patient. I promise."

"You better, or I will attempt to murder you this time."

The two benders laughed before joining their friends to finish their journey to Omashu.


	15. Battle of Omashu

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 14: Battle of Omashu**

**Note: **I'm back! Okay so there is going to be two notes (this one and one at the end of the chapter). First off, school sucks. Especially college, and it's your last year before graduated and transferring to another college next fall. We had late mid-terms, then weather issues closing the school for a whole week leading straight into finals. This is the end of the first note. More at the end of the chapter.**  
**

**Disclaimer: **Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

**

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Katara leaned in towards Tom Tom, "Ooo, you're so CUTE. Mmmmm..."

Azula smiled when she saw her girlfriend kiss the baby on the cheek.

"Azula, can we keep him?" Katara asked excitedly.

"He's not a pet, Katara." Sokka said annoyingly.

"I know that, I was just teasing." Katara argued.

Tom Tom managed to get out of Katara's grasp and walked over to the firebender. He sat himself down directly in front of Azula and gave her a big smile as he waved his arms in front of her. Azula had a faint blush on her face realizing the boy wanted her to pick him up.

"Oh, no. If you want cuddling go back to Katara." Azula urged the young Fire Nation child. But Tom Tom did not move he just kept waving his arms in front of her smiling and laughing. "Okay, I admit you're cute, but I don't want to cuddle with you."

Realizing that the firebender wasn't going to lift him up he began to cry. "No, no please don't cry. Okay, alright, I'll cuddle with you!" Azula panicked as she lifted Tom Tom and held him to her.

The boy immediately stopped crying and cooed as he cuddled into Azula. "Awww, Azula you're a natural with little kids." Katara awed.

"This is not right. Kids should be running away from me in fear." Azula responded, as she blushed deeper when Tom Tom snuggled further onto Azula and yawned. "I've just become his pillow didn't I?"

"Pretty much. You two are so cute together." Katara leaned against the firebender. Azula leaned her head down on her girlfriend's head. "I hope we can have a family of our own someday." Katara mumbled before falling asleep.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Cazu looked down from the balcony of Mai's room. "Pentapox? That's the disease that made the soldiers and your father scared?" The princess asked.

"Yep. I found it rather amusing." Mai replied as she leaned against the railing while twirling a set of her kunais. "Though the moon turning red and vanishing incident was more fun to watch."

"Only you would think that way. Dad isn't going to be happy to hear how stupid these soldiers are becoming. That's if I decide to tell him. There's no such thing as pentapox! Besides how could any of the resistance capture Tom Tom if he was in his room earlier today, according to one of the servants?"

"Who knows? Who cares?"

The princess looked over at her friend. "You do. He's your little brother."

"I know. Doesn't mean I care about him." The assassin tried denying.

"Yes, you do. While your expression says one thing, I know you well enough that you care for him. If Ty Lee was here even she would say your aura is very pink whenever Tom Tom is around you."

"I don't believe in auras." Mai stopped twirling her kunais.

"You don't have to. Only those who know you well enough can tell your expression changes when he's around. You're lucky. At least you have a sibling."

Mai turned to the firebender. She and Ty Lee knew how hard it was for Cazu when the princess learned how her mother died. "Cazu…"

"It's alright." Cazu interrupted Mai. "I can't keep thinking on the 'what if's. My mom isn't coming back, and my dad is not going to remarry. Just do me a favor, when you're around Ty Lee and I don't deny your feelings for your brother. Even though Ty Lee as six identical sisters and they drive her crazy enough for her to runaway to join the circus, I know she still loves them. You two are just lucky."

Cazu stepped back slightly so she could place her head on top of her arms that were crossed on the railing. Silence fell between the two girls. The princess kept thinking about her mother.

"How could Fire Lord Azulon do that to his own soldiers?" Cazu suddenly shouted.

The assassin jumped slightly not expecting her friend's sudden out burst.

The firebender had her face covered by her hands as she tried not to cry. "How could he do that to them? I'm not the only one who lost a parent in that betrayal. Azulon purposely sent all those soldiers to that battle knowing fully well they would not make it out alive just to attempt to break the outer wall into Ba Sing Se. Why them? Why did it even have to come to betraying your own people for a stupid war?"

Tears were slowly down the princess' cheeks. Mai gently placed a hand on Cazu's back. "What are you going to do when you go to Ba Sing Se?" Mai asked.

"I… I don't know." Cazu wiped away her tears. "I don't even understand why Dad is attempting to go at the outer wall again after what happened to Mom. If he wants to make it an easy victory for the Fire Nation he should be focusing on stalling the Avatar from finding an Earthbending master until Sozin's Comet this summer."

Mai quickly removed her hand from the princess' shoulder. This was a side of Cazu she did not appreciate being around. She knew, and Ty Lee knew, there are times where Cazu could be very dangerous. Even though Cazu is one of the kindest people anyone would ever meet, she was very practical and her practicality is what made her dangerous. The Fire Nation Princess was a natural strategist.

"Is that why you're here? Are you asking me to go with you to track down the Avatar?" Mai asked.

"No. That's my Dad's trouble. I'm only following his orders. Find the wanted Water Tribe firebender and run the drill that is supposedly going to break the outer wall to Ba Sing Se. I'm here to see how miserable you are in this city. If you want you can come with me when I leave and stay with Ty Lee at her circus."

"I'm in! Anything to get out of this place."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula was subconsciously rocking the small boy as she stared out towards Omashu. The sun was just starting to rise. Tom Tom gripped the front of Azula's shirt tighter as he continued to sleep against her chest.

"You're a natural."

The firebender turned to see her girlfriend, who was still half asleep, walk up to her. Katara placed a kiss on top of Tom Tom's head.

"I still say he should be running away from me." Azula smiled.

"I think you're familiar to him. He's from the Fire Nation just like you. I wouldn't doubt it if he knew you're a firebender. He looks more comfortable around you than he did with me."

Tom Tom snuggled more into Azula. The small gesture caused the firebender to widen her smile. If they didn't count the many encounters with Zhao or running into Jeong Jeong and his followers, Tom Tom was the first person Azula came in contact with who was from the Fire Nation.

"I have a feeling the trade off is not going to be so peaceful as that letter made it seem. The governor may want his son back, but would he really trade Bumi for him?"

"How could you think such a thing, Azula? What if it was your child?" Katara whispered trying hard not to yell.

"If it was my child I know for a fact I would want my son or daughter back, but this boy is not mine. I'm only thinking that possibility out loud because there is no doubt in my mind that the Fire Nation would probably do exactly what I just said. We could be walking into a trap."

Katara shook her head. "I can't believe you think so bad about someone."

"Try seeing this from my point of view. It wouldn't be the first time the Fire Nation betrayed their own people." Azula turned her attention back towards Omashu. "It wouldn't be the first." She whispered to Tom Tom.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Cazu and Mai walked up the stairs to the construction platform. When they reached the top Cazu instantly singled out one of the members from the opposite side. She immediately recognized Azula. The Fire Nation Princess silently thanked Agni because Azula was not holding Tom Tom.

The silence between the two groups was broken as a crane lowered a metal coffin that was holding King Bumi. Azula shook her head as everyone heard Bumi laugh and snort as he was lowered. The chain kept twisting until Bumi's face was revealed to the two parties.

"Hi, everybody!" The king announced cheerfully.

When the coffin finally landed on the platform Mai stepped forward. "You brought my brother?"

"He's here." Aang said as he stepped forward as well. "We're ready to trade."

From the corner of her eye, Mai say Cazu lower her head slightly. The princess looked like she was ready to attack. "You have something planned don't you?" Mai whispered.

"That's the firebender I was planning on tracking after I left. Looks like I get to fight her sooner," Cazu whispered back.

"What about Tom Tom?"

"Think you can handle the two Water Tribe members?"

"They have the Avatar with them."

"I know. If we play it right we won't have to worry about him."

"Okay I trust you." Mai turned her attention back to Aang. "The deal's off." Mai raised her hand causing Bumi to be raised off the ground.

"BUMI!" Aang yelled. The airbender charged towards the rising metal coffin.

The Fire Nation princess ran towards Aang. Using the momentum of her run she flipped herself into a cartwheel and front flip. On her way down she sent an arc of fire towards Aang. She was temporarily blinded by a burst of blue fire when she landed on the ground.

When both flames dispersed, Cazu was on the ground look up not at the Avatar, but Azula. A shadow flew over Cazu, telling Aang had airbended his way above her. The Fire Nation princess smirked.

Azula saw the smirk and barely jumped out of the way as Cazu threw a stream of fire. The two firebenders each took a fighting stance none were those of a traditional firebending.

Cazu was in a shortened back stance and her arms were extended from her sides as if she was challenging Azula to make the first move. Azula took a defense waterbending stance. It was a stand off.

Seeing as Azula was not going to make the first move, Cazu stepped out of her stance to take a small step forward. As she stepped the princess did a reverse turn while crouching and did a leg sweep sending an arc of fire that was close to the ground towards Azula. The blue firebender jumped into the air to avoid the fire.

"That's a mistake on your part." Cazu commented. She threw a roundhouse kick before jumping in the air turning all the way around to throw another roundhouse kick in mid-air, sending two fire arcs at Azula.

The Water Tribe firebender just barely dodge both arcs. Azula took control of the second arc and redirected it towards Cazu. However, the arc missed. The Fire Nation princess was nowhere in site. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain on her back as she fell to the ground. When she looked up she saw Cazu standing over her.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

She knew she was in trouble. Azula wasn't used to fighting someone who knew how to firebend in a different art form like she did. The Water Tribe firebender did a scissors motion with her legs kicking into the front and back of Cazu's legs tripping the Fire Nation princess.

Cazu reached out in front of her as she fell to flip herself over instead of falling to the ground as Azula hoped for. The two firebenders were once again facing each other readying themselves. Azula took a deep breath before releasing a giant fireball out of her palm towards Cazu.

The fireball flew past Cazu as she immediately dropped into a front split. Unfazed, Cazu jumped up from her splits and countered with a fireball of her own.

Azula prepared herself to redirect the fireball, but it dispersed before it even reached her. She then realized Cazu's weakness.

"AZULA!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Both Azula and Cazu turned their attention to Katara. "Azula, the baby! He's in one of the carts of the delivery shoot."

Brushing past Cazu, Azula ran towards Katara. Sokka was already on Appa, ready for them to chase Tom Tom.

"How in Agni's name did he get there? Sokka, I thought you were looking after him!" Azula quickly climbed on Appa as she yelled.

"Well, someone had to throw a giant blue fireball at us. If it wasn't for you, I would have –"

"Would the two of you hold your bickering for after we save Tom Tom!" Cazu shouted as she and Mai climbed into Appa's saddle.

Sokka panicked. "There is no way the two of you are going to be coming with us. You took back your end of the deal."

Cazu grabbed a handful of Sokka's shirt. "Either you get this bison moving or I will toss you into one of those carts and not bother to save you. Get moving now. Tom Tom could be half way towards the end of the chute as we speak!"

"Oh, move over!" Katara pushed Sokka and Cazu out of the way. "Appa, yip yip!" Appa flew as fast as he could to catch up to the cart Tom Tom was sliding in.

"Do you have any decent length rope?" Cazu asked, mainly looking at Azula for the answer.

Azula immediately dug into one of the packs they had to pull out some of Sokka's rope. "Why?"

The Fire Nation princess grabbed hold of the rope and began to make a small noose. "I'm going to grab Tom Tom, while you…" Cazu looked at Azula again, "listen for if I need you to lower or rise this bison. Mai, I'm going to hand Tom Tom to you once I pull him up."

Mai nodded while Cazu quickly tied the loose end of the rope to Appa's saddle handle and attached the small noose around her right ankle.

"Are you crazy?" Sokka asked.

"I've been told on several occasions." Cazu responded as she sat on the edge of the saddle waiting for Appa to get closer to the cart Tom Tom was in. The closer they flew to the cart the more they could hear Tom Tom laughing.

Cazu sat back out of the saddle so she was dangling upside down on Appa's side. Tom Tom looked up to see Cazu and laughed even harder.

"Tom Tom, come on get a little closer." Cazu encouraged the toddler. When he didn't move Cazu yelled up to Azula. "We need to get closer, he's not moving from the cart."

Shortly Appa was flying above the cart with Cazu hanging into the cart to grab Tom Tom. Just as she was about to pick him up, Mai shouted.

"Cazu, look out!"

The Fire Nation princess barely saw the poles and beams that were stabilizing the chute. She quickly brought herself up high enough on Appa as they flew over the beams. Cazu was gripping Appa's fur tightly.

Once past the beams Cazu lowered herself back down to grab hold of Tom Tom. She easily grabbed the young boy and held him against her chest as she climbed back up Appa. Once they two were close enough Mai grabbed her brother and Azula helped Cazu the rest of the way up.

The three Fire Nation girls stared at Tom Tom. They smiled when they saw Tom Tom laughing as Mai held onto him. Cazu placed her elbow on her knee, and her chin on her hand. She imagined herself being in Mai's place with a younger sibling she could have had.

Azula continued smiling as she remembered another memory from her past.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The three-year-old princess looked up at her cousin, Lu Ten. She smiled so wide she could barely feel her cheeks. Azula and her brother were fighting for their older cousin's attention.

In the end, Azula won. Her imagination of why she always won was because she was the baby of the family and the only girl.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"You could have easily beaten me today."

Azula snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Cazu. "What do you mean?"

"You're an amazing firebender. Your wanted posters didn't say anything about you producing blue fire. Being able to bend fire in a different color proves you are probably the strongest firebender in the world. Blue fire is hotter than the normal fire and from what I saw, it produces doubles, maybe triples, the size of any attack a normal firebender could produce." Cazu explained.

"However," Cazu continued. "You lack the mental aspect of a firebender. You think too much like a waterbender. It is understandable since you know how to bend water like fire, but don't forget fire is your natural element. You need to remember to think like a firebender too on defense."

"Firebending doesn't allow for much defense though. That's where my 'waterbending' comes in." Azula argued.

Cazu smirked. "Yes, that is true. But, you didn't even 'waterbend' my fire away earlier. You jumped. Any firebender could have easily parted my attack using firebending. That's why I said 'That's a mistake on your part.'"

Azula smirked in return. "Aright then, if you want to get nit picky about it. You also lack the mental aspect of a firebender."

The Fire Nation princess arched her one of her eyebrows. Azula continued explaining. "You amazing physically of moving very differently of a firebender. However, you don't have the correct breathing pattern down. Your fireball didn't even reach me and I wasn't standing too far away from you either. That's your current weakness."

"You two have to be the most stupid women I have ever met!" Sokka exclaimed jumping into the conversation. "If you know the others weakness, you shouldn't be telling them. Azula, it's going to be harder to fight her the next time we see her!"

Completely ignoring Sokka, Cazu and Azula continued talking. "Is he always this obnoxious?" Cazu asked.

"Try imagining growing up with him." Azula countered.

"Touché. Oh, I know we've been hearing each other's names a lot already, but we never properly introduced ourselves. I'm Cazu." The princess extended her hand.

"Azula."

The two firebenders shake hands. They both took the opportunity to understand the other with the handshake. Both of them learned at a young age how to learn about someone in one handshake.

"And what are the names of those you are traveling with?" Cazu asked as she and Azula broke their handshake.

"The annoying one is Sokka. The one controlling Appa is my girlfriend, Katara." Katara turned around and smiled when she heared her name. "And then there's Aang, he's –"

"The Avatar." Cazu finished.

"You're not planning on capturing him are you?" Katara asked.

"That's not my job. I only intent was to find Azula."

Everyone in the saddle became quiet.

"I'm not planning on capturing you." Cazu continued. "When I read your wanted poster, I wanted to fight you. I love fighting, but not for the war. I love being able to have a friendly sparring match with other benders and learn about the other bending arts. I find the Avatar amazing. Every Avatar can learn to bend the four elements. So if Aang and all he's predecessor could bend the other elements, why can't the other benders use the bending motions and work it into their own natural element. To find out a firebender had learned to bend the natural element in their natural opposites motion who isn't an Avatar has never been heard of until now."

"I understand completely what you mean. Even though Katara is the last waterbender from the South Pole, I've always loved learning how to fight differently from the usual."

"Well then, the next time we run into each other let's fight again. May the best firebender win!"

The two firebenders grabbed the others halfway up their forearm and shook.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Aang asked Azula.

Aang was staying up in Appa's saddle. The further he was from Cazu, the safer he felt. Azula finished tightening the reins on Appa's horns.

"We're just dropping Cazu and Mai, at the port closets to Omashu and then we'll be on our way to continue searching for your Earthbending master."

"Yeah, but that port we're dropping them off at is under the Fire Nation's control. Also I have a bad feeling about her. Most of the firebenders we've encountered, excluding Jeong Jeong and his followers, have been after us. I think there is more to her than she's letting on."

Azula joined Aang in the saddle. "I understand your feelings. I need you to trust me. Something tells me when we run into her again it's not because she is after us. She's my rival. We both get the thrill of fighting someone different from the usual."

The future master and pupil continued sitting and watching as Mai and Cazu talked to each other privately.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"You know something that I don't."

Cazu smiled. "I have a feeling that my father and the rest of the Fire Nation will worry if I go back an announce to them what I have learned today about our 'traitor'."

"And that is?"

"I'm only the Fire Nation Princess because my father crowned himself Fire Lord after he overthrew Fire Lord Azulon. Two princes and two princesses went missing after my father's coup. After seven years they were presumed dead."

Mai nodded showing Cazu she was following.

"They were: Prince Iroh, Prince Zuko, Princess Ursa, and Princess Azula." Cazu narrowed her eyes as she saw Azula and Aang looking right at them. "It all fits Mai. My father wouldn't stop mentioning to me how the princess and I shared the same birthday, she and I are the same age. The coup was nine years ago. Nine years ago, we were five. We're fourteen now. Azula is the Princess Azula, the real Princess of the Fire Nation.

"Here's the thing though. I don't think she even remembers that she is the princess. The way she talks and acts shows she only remembers her life in the Southern Water Tribe. Her firebending also shows that too. When she was fighting in the firebending style she was only fighting mainly in the basics. It's best we don't mention this to anyone. Except Ty Lee. But we have to be careful. If anyone else knew, you can bet word would get to my father."

Both Cazu and Mai stared at Aang and Azula. That moment Cazu put her practicality to use. If everything goes according to plan, many great possibilities can happen for the Fire Nation and the rest of the world.

* * *

**Note (2): **Okay, so I'm not dead. No, I did not get hit with writer's block. Though I did have to re-write this chapter several times. To keep you readers from worrying, I've had this story planned out and written down in note form since **February 2010**. So, there is not chance of me of getting a writer's block. The only block I'll have is writing the chapter out so the readers can see what I want you to see (I guess it is a type of writer's block, but not the standard, "I have no idea where I want this story to go!").

Also, I need to focus more on drawing. If you are on deviantArt my username is exactly the same as my username. Look me up and watch me there as well. I need to focus on drawing more because I need to draw more original artwork for my art portfolio when I go for my portfolio review sometime in early 2011 for the 4-year college I plan to transfer to this fall.

One more thing, as much as I love reviews. I do not appreciate reviewers who review without an account so they could keep sending "reviews" asking/begging/telling me to write faster. There is one reviewer who comes to mind. He or she knows whom I'm talking about. I'm writing this story on my time. I have other priorities before writing this story.

**Would I want to spend most of my time writing Golden Wolf Warrior?**  
Absolutely! However, like many writers here, I do have other issues in my life that require my attention first before Golden Wolf Warrior.

Please I ask of you, my readers, to continue to be patient and respect me enough to not pressure me into writing faster.

Another thing, I love how many of you are willing to listen to my thinking process of writing the chapters to Golden Wolf Warrior if I do get a writer's block. However, I already have someone I talk to. She's my honorary little sister. She's been getting Golden Wolf Warrior's spoilers since the beginning and still loves the story. My sister will be the only one who will ever get to hear/read my thinking process on Golden Wolf Warrior and gets all the spoils. I let her read one review from one of you fabulous readers offering your service to help and she stuck her tongue at you (sorry had to mention it because it was adorable when she did stick her tongue out at my computer screen). Fianlly, just so you know, some of her input on the story has are in some of the past chapters (more of her input are in the future chapters).

Last thing, I promise. If any of you have checked my profile lately I have three other Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfics lined up. I'm still in the note form process of those stories, but they are going to be written after I finish Golden Wolf Warrior. There is also a Glee fanfic, which will more than likely be written between one or two Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfics. So my readers, if you watch Glee and love Faberry (plus little Brittana), that's a story I hope you will read too. If you're not a Glee and/or Faberry fan, please don't stop following me. I will still write Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfics, so I ask you ignore my Glee fanfic updates.

Thank you again. Keep reading and reviewing. I love you my readers. It keeps me writing on.


	16. Princess of the Fire Nation

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 15: Princess of the Fire Nation**

**Note:** This is the last chapter we'll see of Cazu for a while. It is also an early birthday gift to my sister. Who was helping me find the proper Chinese characters for Cazu's name while I was writing this chapter. This chapter has had several name changes and rewritten several times. I hope I didn't disappoint you.

**Disclaimer:** Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

**

* * *

**

"Are you sure you want to leave your family back in Omashu?" Azula asked Mai.

Everyone was waiting for Cazu to return. Cazu had volunteered to return Tom Tom back to Mai's family.

"Yeah. They'll be fine. I was bored there anyways." Mai said bluntly her focus was on twirling some of her kunais.

Azula stared at the assassin. "This is going to sound really weird, but I swear I've met you before. Did we know each other?"

"I don't know. We'll find out when we meet up with Cazu's girlfriend. She'll be able to tell. You do remind me of someone I knew when I was little. I'm just not sure if you're really her."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"We need to land." Cazu spoke suddenly.

"But we're not at the port yet." Aang replied.

"Let's see. I have the Avatar, and a Fire Nation traitor. Sure, let's walk into a port controlled by the Fire Nation." Cazu sarcastically responded. "We're landing just outside the circus. I know someone there who we can trust."

"Okay… Appa, yip yip."

Once they landed Cazu jumped out of Appa's saddle. "Stay here. I'm going to grab her and bring her back here. Don't unpack. You might have to make a run for it."

Cazu quickly made her way through the forest down to the circus. People were just leaving the big tent, telling Cazu the show was over. The Fire Nation princess stayed within the edge of the forest towards Ty Lee's tent. When she was close to the acrobat's tent, Cazu slipped through the opening and waited in a corner for her girlfriend.

It wasn't long before the acrobat walked into her tent. Cazu stayed quiet as Ty Lee began taking off parts of her costume. The princess tried to sneak up on her girlfriend, but failed.

"I can see you in the mirror, Cazu."

"Damn it!"

"Not that I'm not happy you're here. But I know you wouldn't be sneaking up on me again, if you weren't trying to keep me quiet. What did you do?" Ty Lee asked as she took of the last of her costume leaving herself in her underwear.

Cazu picked up a pair of Ty Lee's pants. "First, you need to get dressed. I have a surprise for you. We also need to stay quiet. We can't allow anyone to follow us."

Quickly and quietly, Cazu guided Ty Lee back to where she left the others. "Okay, now don't get too excited. Remember we need to be qui-"

"MAI!" Ty Lee ran past Cazu, completely ignoring what her girlfriend was saying.

Mai barely got her arms opened when the acrobat glomped her. When Ty Lee broke away from Mai, she noticed the others.

"Oh my goodness… AZULA!" Ty Lee tackled the Water Tribe firebender to the ground.

"Oof! Ty Lee, get off of me!"

Cazu and Mai stood shocked. Not once had they ever mentioned Ty Lee's name to the Avatar and his friends.

"How did you know her name?" Cazu finally asked.

Azula and Ty Lee both looked up at Cazu. "What do you mean, Cazu?"

"Not once had Mai and I mentioned your name to them. Yet Azula knows your name."

Everyone looked at Azula. "I remember there was this one girl I used to play with when I was little. She always wore pink and her name was Ty Lee. If I remember correctly, you have six identical sisters right?"

Ty Lee just squealed and hugged Azula harder. "Azula, I thought you were dead! It's so good to see you again."

"I am so confused." Aang mumbled.

"Me too." Sokka second.

Appa groaned agreeing with the two boys.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Once they set up camp, everyone, including Cazu, Mai, and Ty Lee, sat around eating an impromptu meal while chatting with each other as if they have all been friends for years.

"And then Cazu, fell over the edge dangling by the lasso on her ankle reaching for Tom Tom in the cart." Sokka animatedly re-told what happened in Omashu. "She's crazy for doing that!"

Ty Lee giggled. "That makes me crazy too, because I'm the one who taught her that trick."

"You're joking, right?"

"I work at a circus. That is some of the basic stuff." Ty Lee countered as she leaned onto Cazu's shoulder.

"Where do we go from here?" Azula asked, changing the subject.

Mai and Ty Lee looked at Cazu. "I can't speak for Mai nor Ty Lee, but I have to return to the Fire Nation."

"Why? So you can tell Fire Lord Akuzo about us?" Sokka challenged.

"If I wanted him to know about you and your friends all I would have needed to do was send a messenger hawk from Omashu. Or are you going to accuse me of doing just that?"

"I knew this was a bad idea taking you with us. Soldiers could be headed right to us! Aang, Katara, Azula we're leaving now." Sokka ordered.

"No."

Everyone turned to Azula. "Sokka, you can call me insane, but I trust Cazu. If she really wanted Aang and I captured we wouldn't be sitting here right now. She had the perfect opportunity in Omashu."

"That's what she wants us to think. She's trying to gain our trust and then backfire on us."

"Ye of little faith." Cazu replied. "There was Omashu, there's a Fire Nation circus not far from here, and a port controlled by the Fire Nation, I am so trying my absolute hardest to capture you."

Sokka glared at Cazu with her sarcasm.

Cazu glared back. "Not all members of the Fire Nation are necessarily fighting in the war. Look at Mai, she just wants to be entertained, and apparently the only thing capturing her attention is for chaos to spread through the Fire Nation."

"That's true." Mai quietly agreed.

"And then there's Ty Lee and the circus. They're not entertaining only those of the Fire Nation. They have Earth Kingdom citizens also enjoying the performances of the circus as well. There are citizens of the Earth Kingdom who are also working in the circus." Cazu stopped to let what she said sink in.

The fire in the pit grew and shrank with each deep breath Cazu made. "Then there is me. I want this war to end more than anything. The only way that is going to happen is if the Avatar isn't captured. Are you satisfied with my answer yet?"

Sokka sat back down on a near by stump. "Whatever." He mumbled.

"Why do you need to go back to the Fire Nation?" Aang finally asked.

"To keep Fire Lord Akuzo off your trail. He assigned me to find Azula. Never once did he tell me I had to capture her. Even though her wanted poster did say I have permission to kill her on sight." Cazu smirked towards Azula.

"Thank you for not killing me."

Everyone laughed.

"But Cazu, what are you going to tell your father?" Ty Lee asked innocently.

Cazu froze. She forgot to tell Ty Lee not to mention her status in the Fire Nation.

"Wait!" Katara said loudly. "Your father is Fire Lord Akuzo? You're the Princess of the Fire Nation."

"Only because he crowned himself Fire Lord. I've been to many war meetings, including the one about the Siege of the North. Which as I predicted ended in disaster for the Fire Nation." Cazu replied, quickly taking the topic off of her.

"Do you trust her now, Azula?" Sokka snapped.

Azula didn't answer. Her mind was racing of what she had just learned and her memories of the siege. For years she yearned for any chance for her to get her revenge on Akuzo, and now an opportunity presented itself. Knowing Cazu was Akuzo's daughter, Azula couldn't help but trust the Fire Nation princess.

"Yes and no. I'm not sure if it's a firebender thing, but my heart is telling me I can trust her. However, my judgment is conflicted by the recent information, especially since Akuzo betrayed his Fire Lord and my family was murdered. I'm only one of many victims in this war, and it's only right for Aang as the Avatar to decided whether we should continue to trust her." Azula explained.

Aang sighed. "I think we can trust her. She had many opportunities to capture us and she hasn't."

Cazu nodded towards Aang. "You're a victim in this war too, Ava-."

"Aang. You can call me 'Aang'. I'm not a fully realized Avatar yet." Aang innocently explained.

"Very well. You're a victim too, Aang. You're the last airbender. I'm also a victim in this war." Cazu looked towards the fire pit.

"How so?" Katara asked.

"Before my father overthrew Fire Lord Azulon, he was a general for the Fire Nation army. My mother was a commander. In the previous Year of the Monkey, Fire Lord Azulon ordered a legion to attack at the outer walls of Ba Sing Se. In a legion of roughly three thousand men and women, only one hundred returned. The one hundred that did return are either dead or severely disabled. The worst part is that Fire Lord Azulon knew his legion would not make it out alive. My mother died in one of the first attacks. Everyone is affected by this war. Including the royal family."

Silence fell upon the group again.

"I want everyone to come see our show in the morning." Everyone turned his or her attention to Ty Lee. "There's a lot of negative energy here. Come watch the show tomorrow, it'll lifts everyone's spirits."

Azula smiled. "That sounds wonderful."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

As Ty Lee promised, the negative tension between the teenagers dispersed watching the circus. Cazu and Azula were off to the side talking to each other.

"I'm curious." Cazu started. Azula looked over at the Fire Nation princess. "How much of your life in the Fire Nation do you remember?"

"Not much. I don't remember the names to my family, except for Lu Ten. I remember a few of the firebending lessons my uncle gave me before the coup. And by some miracle I remembered Ty Lee's name and that she has six identical sisters."

"I'm surprised you don't remember more than that."

"There are a few other things I remember, but they're private. There are some information I haven't shared with my friends either and it's going to stay that way."

"Fair enough." Cazu looked up towards the sun. "I can't promise that I won't run into you or your friends again. If I'm with other soldiers I have to act the part of the Fire Nation princess and attack you. If I'm by myself I will try to assist you as much as I can. Though I do expect a rematch the next time I see you."

Azula laughed. "Only if you work on your breathing pattern. You also lack a drive. You'll be a worthy rival once you find your drive and work your breathing pattern."

"You need to stop thinking like a waterbender. You're a firebender, you can't change that."

Before Azula could respond Katara walked up to the two firebenders. "Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but we really need to get moving."

"Okay." Azula turned her attention back to Cazu and held out her hand. "Till next time."

"Till next time." Cazu grabbed hold of Azula's hand and shook.

The three Fire Nation girls watched as their new friends walked through the forest. They waited until the faintly saw the flying bison fly away from the circus.

"Oh, Mai, I can talk to the ring leader, but I think we can fit you in as well with your knife throwing skills!" Ty Lee announced.

"Sure, at least it's something to do."

"YAY!" The acrobat bounced in excitement.

Cazu smiled seeing Ty Lee happy. She would do anything to keep the acrobat happy. For the second time, Cazu felt the world shift around her. The princess looked up at the sun, her inner fire felt warmer. She held out her hand and produced a fireball in her hand.

The fireball in her hand was bigger than it originally had been. Cazu could also see a faint tint of red and pink in her fire. She finally understood what Li and Lo were trying to tell her, and what Azula mentioned about needing to find a drive.

"Cazu?"

Ty Lee and Mai were waiting for their princess. The princess just smiled and continued to walk with them back to the big tent.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"KATARA! SOKKA!" Azula yelled deep into the swamp. "AANG!"

She's been traveling for nearly half a day through the swamp looking for her friends. The firebender was about to yell again until she saw a young boy.

"Hello?"

The young boy laughed and ran off deeper into the forest.

"Hey, it's not safe for you to be here!" Azula chased after the boy.

The boy continued laughing and ran up to a woman who was holding a small child.

"Mommy! Mommy! Let I want to play with her!" The little boy exclaimed while tugging on his mother's robes.

"Zuko. Azula is sleeping. You can play with your sister when she wakes up." The boy's mother reassured her son.

Azula stood frozen as she watched what was happening in front of her. She was seeing her brother and mother for the first time in many years, at least from what she could remember of them. The light was beaming down on their faces just right, preventing Azula from seeing their faces.

She climbed up one of the thick branches to get a better look at her families faces. The firebender was able to make out her younger-self sleeping against her mother's shoulder while her mother held her. Once she got on the branch her mother and brother turned to look up at her. Azula barely saw their faces before hearing a scream and being knocked down.

The world was spinning as she and two other bodies continued tumbling down. At some point they hit something else and continued rolling until they finally stopped.

Azula groaned as she felt two bodies under her and one on top of her.

"What do you guys think you're doing? I've been looking all over for you!" Sokka exclaimed as he shoved his friends off of him.

"Well, I've been wandering around looking for you!"

Aang airbended himself to his feet, "I was chasing some girl."

"What girl?" Katara asked as Azula helped the waterbender to her feet.

"I don't know. I heard laughing and I saw some girl in a fancy dress."

"Well, there must be a tea party here and we just didn't get our invitations!" Sokka responded sarcastically.

Azula backhanded the Water Tribe boy in the chest. Hard.

"OW!"

Katara looked down, "I thought I saw Mom, Gran Gran, and Dad together."

Sokka looked down as well. "Look, we were all just scared and hungry and our minds were playing tricks on us. That's why we all saw things out here."

"You saw something too? Azula, surely you saw something as well." Katara asked Sokka.

Sokka responded first as he turned away from the group. "I thought I saw Yue."

Everyone turned his or her attention to Azula. "I saw my mom, and my brother. But, I also saw a younger version of me. It was as if I was seeing a memory played out in front of me."

"But, that doesn't prove anything." Sokka continued. "Look, I think about Yue all the time. Azula, you always think about your family. Katara, you miss Mom, Dad, and Gran Gran a lot."

"What about me? I didn't know the girl I saw. And all our visions led us right here." Aang began looking at their surroundings.

"Okay… where is here?" Katara gestured around them. "The middle of the swamp?"

"Yeah…" Aang trailed off, "the center."


	17. Between Rage and Serenity

**The Golden Wolf Warrior**

**By: Agent-Ayu**

**Chapter 16: Between Rage and Serenity**

**Note:** Let's see, pick your Author's Excuse Poison: School, Graduation, Work, Lack of Sleep, Life, Rewriting, Changing Parts of GWW, Post-Potter Depression, Korra Spasms, etc. There will be another note at the end of the chapter since it's a lengthy one.

**Disclaimer:** Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

* * *

"Zu-zu, come on! It's just climbing a tree. It's not that scary!" Five-year old Azula yelled down to one of the lower branches.

Her brother was struggling to reach one of the higher branches. He reached, and then pulled back. Reached again, only to pull back once more. Finally, he gave up. "Not funny Azula!"

"Scaredy cat-owl!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula opened her eyes. The sun was just starting to rise on another quiet morning. Ever since the swamp she had been seeing more and more memories playing with her older brother. In the swamp she had just barely seen her brother's face and her mother's eyes. If she ever ran into her mother, she'll know. The firebender was also assuming her mother was still alive. For all she knew she was the last of her family.

She just laid there in her sleeping bag not bothering to get up and train before everyone else got up. The firebender closed her eyes to listen carefully to everyone else breathing as they slept, somehow it calmed her. Azula turned to her side and watched Katara continue to sleep. The two of them hadn't been talking to each other since Gaoling. In Gaoling, Azula had snapped at Katara who was only concerned for Azula's well being.

While they were at Earth Rumble VI, Azula was pissed when Fire Nation Man stepped into the arena. Even though she has announced several times that she was to be acknowledge as a member of the Southern Water Tribe, she was still of Fire Nation birth and Fire Nation Man had essentially insulted her with his fighting name. She had taken the rock from Sokka and threw it at Fire Nation Man's head, knocking him out before his match. Azula stormed out from the arena with Katara right on her heels, trying to figure out what was wrong with the firebender.

With each passing day, Azula's temper and patience were getting more out of control. It was as if everything she had learned up to this point wasn't helping her. She had been struggling with her firebending too. Her drive was still there, but her mind was not clear.

"Today's the day!" Azula quietly looked over her shoulder seeing Aang excited to learn earthbending.

A couple of days had gone by since they gained an additional member to their group, Toph Bei Fong. If Katara wasn't fighting with Azula, she was fighting with Toph. Everyone was still trying to get used to the new arrangement and Toph was very different then what the four of them were used to having around. Things were starting to mellow out with Toph starting the help out setting up camp.

There was a rumble in the earth until Toph broke out of her earth tent. "GOOD MORNING EARTHBENDING STUDENT!" Toph shouted.

Azula watched as Toph gave Sokka a hard time before sending him into the air. She winced when he hit the ground. The firebender briefly looked over at Katara before rolling up her sleeping bag and following the other three benders to watch Aang learn to earthbend.

"Aang." The airbender stopped walking and waited for Azula. "Just a reminder, don't try anything stupid. Listen to Toph. She is your Earthbending Master after all."

Aang nodded in understanding Azula. They didn't want a repeat of what happened with Jeong Jeong and Pakku.

"It's amazing. You still know how to talk to people without snapping at them."

Azula closed her eyes trying to ignore Katara's sarcasm. "I'm not in the mood to put up with this."

"What's wrong? You haven't been acting the same since Gaoling."

"Nothing is wrong, Katara. I just want to be left alone."

"Azula, I'm trying to help! Just talk to-"

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!"

The embers from their fire last night ignited into a large flame before dispersing almost immediately. Azula's fists were clutched tightly, but little flames were still coming out from her hands.

"Please. I really need to be alone for a while. Okay?"

Katara reached out to touch Azula's arm before pulling back. "Alright. You know where to find me."

The firebender took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She knew she was being unfair to Katara, but Azula didn't know how to voice her feelings. She was losing control.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

She felt a hand placed on her shoulder to wake her up. Azula being barely awake looked to see who was waking her up.

"Mom?"

"Azula, sweetie, wake up." Ursa urged her daughter.

"Mom, what's going on?"

"Sweetie, I don't have time to explain. We need to get out of here." Ursa lifted her daughter out of bed. There was smoke starting to seep into the bedroom.

"Mom."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula shot up from her sleeping bag. She was panting hard and drenched with sweat. Slowly she looked around, making sure she didn't wake anyone else. Once she was sure no one else was awake, Azula crawled out of her sleeping bag and walked over to the river.

The firebender splashed water over her face to clear her head. The last time she had that flashback was when the three Water Tribe teens had taken Aang back to the Southern Air Temple. She was physically shaking.

"'I know you're upset… and I know how painful and lonely it is to lose the people you love.' That's what you told me back at the Southern Air Temple." Aang was sitting on a near by rock behind Azula. "You can't keep it bottled up, Azula. You're not yourself anymore."

"I thought I was over it. No. Not over it, but accepted that there wasn't a chance for my family to have survived the coup. Unlike you, Aang… you didn't see someone you loved murdered right in front of you." She didn't turn to look at the airbender. "My cousin died protecting me. He shouldn't have died. If I didn't trip we both would have made it out alive. I use to only get flashbacks once a year, around the time of his death. But… ever since we met you, I've been coming to me frequently. More so since the swamp."

"Why can't you tell us or at least Katara?"

She stood up and began to walk back to camp. "It's complicated. Go back to bed, Aang. Toph won't have mercy on you in the morning."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"What is she doing?"

Aang immediately dropped his earthbending task as he and Katara turned their attention to Sokka. The Water Tribe boy nodded his head over to the waterfall. Katara looked beyond Sokka to see Azula scaling the to stone walls against the waterfall.

"What? What is Azula doing? In case you guys forgot I'm blind!"

"Azula is fighting the waterfall by climbing up using the edges of to stone walls." Aang explained slowly.

Her arms were shaking violently. With the constant water pounding and climbing up the wall she was putting a lot of strain on her arms and legs. She could barely see in front of her as she kept on climbing. The firebender got halfway up the waterfall before slipping and falling into the river.

Out of her control she was pushed and pulled violently by the water under the waterfall until she was pushed out into calm water. She swam as fast as she could to the surface to catch her breath. Azula didn't know why she was doing this. Something kept telling her she needed to do this.

"AZULA, YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED!" Katara yelled towards the firebender.

She ignored the waterbender as she swam back under the waterfall and began to climb the wall again. The firebender was able to climb a little higher before she plummeted down the waterfall again.

Before she could swim back to the waterfall, Azula was thrown into the air and back onto land by a spiral of water. Azula looked up to see it was Katara. Katara had waterbended her back onto shore.

"JUST WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? YOU COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED TO WHERE I CAN'T HEAL YOU! YOU COULD HAVE DIED!" Katara yelled at the firebender.

"WELL I DIDN'T!"

Both girls looked at stared hard at each other. "What's happened to you? You're not the Azula who grew up with Sokka and I. Ever since the swamp you've been acting weird and you're losing your temper more and more."

Azula grumbled before getting up and walking away from Katara. Aang and Toph went back to practicing Earthbending, while Sokka continued to fish. However, Katara continued following Azula.

"Azula, don't walk away from me!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aunt Wu lifted up Azula's cup and examined the tealeaves. "I see. You had a very tragic experience early in your childhood."

Azula stopped abruptly. Aunt Wu continued to read Azlua's tealeaves. "But don't worry, you're blessed by the moon and sun. The moon is full… romance is ahead of you. And the sun represents happiness, success, and power."

The fortuneteller saw the firebender slowly turned around to glare at her. Aunt Wu knew this was going to happen. She purposely tricked Azula into having her fortune told. "There are many ways to tell ones fortune young firebender. Tealeaf reading is one of them. That is why I asked you to swirl your cup and turn it upside when you were finished. I suspect great things can come from you."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

She stared up at the waterfall. It wasn't the same waterfall Azula had tried climbing up earlier that week since they had to keep on traveling in order to keep the Fire Nation off their tail. This waterfall was much higher and even more dangerous.

"Why are you doing this, Azula?" From her peripheral vision she saw Aang. She didn't reply, so he continued. "Are you ready to talk about it or is it still complicated?"

"It's always complicated. I need answers, Aang. Answers that no one here can tell me. If Akuzo overthrew the previous Fire Lord, why did my family have to be murdered in the process? It doesn't make sense unless my family was the previous royal family!"

"What if they were? Ever thought of the possibility?"

Azula clenched her jaw. Of course, she had thought of the possibility, however, she had learned through their traveling that many noble families who were very loyal to Fire Lord Azulon were murdered as well. There was also a chance she was a daughter of one of Fire Lord Azulon's noblemen.

"Go back to bed, Aang!" Azula turned and looked at Aang. He knew she was going to say that as he got up and went back to bed.

"Oh, one last thing, Azula. Something Monk Gyatso once told me is that there's a fine line between rage and serenity. Sort of like how you told me firebending is, right? Why don't you try finding peace with your anger for Fire Lord Akuzo?"

The firebender watched as Aang walked back to their campsite. "He's right." She mumbled to herself. "Heh… had to be reminded of that by him. There's probably still hope for him when it comes time to learn firebending."

Once Azula was positive that Aang had gone back to sleep, she dove into the river and swam to the bottom of the waterfall. Azula took a deep breath. She could faintly feel the sun starting to rise. Taking one more deep breath she began to climb up the waterfall.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Katara slowly sat up and looked around the camp. Aang and Toph were already up and practicing some 'softer' Earthbending techniques. She looked around some more to find Appa, Sokka, and Momo still asleep.

"Hey, have you two seen Azula?"

Aang quickly stopped what he was doing and pointed towards the waterfall. Katara's eye followed the direction up the waterfall, but still couldn't see Azula. Then she looked at the top of the waterfall to see Azula meditating on one of the ledges.

"When did? How did she?" Katara stuttered.

"She was up there when Toph and I woke up."

The waterbender walked to the edge of the river and waterbended herself to the ledge Azula was on. Quietly she sat down next to the firebender, patiently waiting for Azula to finish meditating. Katara listened as the firebender took slow deep breaths as she felt the sun.

"You're probably mad at me for climbing up the waterfall again, aren't you?"

Katara looked up and saw Azula's eyes were still closed. "Not this time." She rocked herself back and forth a few times. "How many times did you fall before you got up here?"

"None. If I fell all of you would have heard the splash. Well, everyone except Sokka." Azula opened her eyes and smirked. "That boy would be in so much trouble if no one woke him up."

"Are you ready to talk about it?" Katara looked into Azula's gold eyes, trying to show her support.

Azula leaned back as her legs dangled over the edge. "I will say this, since I told Aang a few days ago, I thought I fully accepted that I'm more than likely the only survivor of my family. Seeing what I could of my mother and my brother in the swamp, made me realize how much I miss them. It was as if the swamp was teasing me by showing me them and telling me I can never have them.

"I even wondered why the swamp only showed me my mother and brother. Yes, I miss them, but I also miss my uncle, my father, and Lu Ten. So why didn't it show them as well?"

Katara gently squeezed Azula's hand.

"Then there's the scary thought of my family being the Fire Nation's Royal Family. I want to know about my past, but I'm scared to know if Jet was right. If my family is the royal family, that would mean Fire Lord Sozin is my great-grandfather and he started this mess. I don't know if I am part of that family or the daughter of one of Fire Lord Azulon's noblemen."

"If we ever find out about your past, I'll still love you, even if you are the real Princess of the Fire Nation. You're Azula of the Southern Water Tribe. You have been officially since we were eleven, but unofficially since the day you arrived. That is who you are. You're also Azula, Duke of Fluffiness, remember?"'

There was a pause as Azula stared at Katara before realizing what the waterbender had just said. She blushed. "You're never going to let that nickname go, are you?"

"That's correct!" Katara stood up and held her hand out to Azula. "Now, what do you say we get off of here?"

Azula smirked and grabbed Katara's hand to pull herself up. "Only if we can jump."

"Uh…" Katara looked over the edge and fully noticed how high up they were. "I'm not so sure."

"If we run before jumping we'll be out far enough that we won't hit the ledge." Azula lightly tugged Katara's hand as they walked away from the edge. "Ready?"

Katara gulped before nodding. Both benders lightly ran to the edge, but were not synced and the waterbender pulled on Azula hand. Azula stopped immediately before she reached the edge.

"We're not synced. That'll be dangerous for us if we don't run the same speed. One more time, Azula." The waterbender tugged Azula back to their starting position.

"This time for sure, yes?" Azula asked.

"Yes. Go my pace."

They ran again, but Katara chickened out the last second and pulled Azula back again.

"Katara, we're going to run again and this time I will jump. So you can either fear hitting the ledge or jump with me."

The waterbender took another deep breath before nodding. This time they ran and both jumped off the ledge. Katara screamed when Azula let go of her hand and they submerged into the water. Azula was laughing when they broke to the water's surface.

"That was fun! Katara, we have to do that again!"

"OH NO WE DON'T!" Katara grabbed Azula's arm as they same back to shore. "THAT WAS TERRIFYING! IT WAS EXHILIRATING! I FELT LIKE I WAS FLYING!"

Azula watched as Katara paced in front of her yelling her rants. The smirk on the firebender's face kept growing and growing the more excited Katara got from jumping off the cliff.

"AZULA, ONE DAY WE WILL GET MARRIED!"

"Wait… what? You're thinking of marriage already?" Azula stood up abruptly as Katara kept pacing.

"Of course! I love you, you love me. You're the only one who is probably crazy enough to jump off a high cliff with me, even if it was your idea."

The firebender pinched the bridge of her nose as Katara continued on her ramble. Everyone else stared at Katara in confusion. Sokka walked over to Azula and nudged her in the ribs.

"What's got her all wired up?"

"Adrenaline. Remind me to never to allow Katara to cliff dive ever again." Azula walked over to her bag. She used firebending to dry herself off before she put on the rest of her clothes.

Katara sat down in front of the fire pit taking a deep breath, coming down from her adrenaline rush. "Still!" Everyone turned his or her attention back on Katara. "We are never doing that again. At least on a cliff that high."

Silence fell upon them since no one was sure how to respond to Katara. Not even Momo or Appa made a sound.

"You know what we need?" Everyone looked at Sokka. "Mini-vacations! Think about it all we've done since we've left the South Pole has been traveling, finding people, training, and staying away from the Fire Nation. We really need a break."

"I'm shocked. Sokka, you finally came up with a plan that can't go wrong!" Azula smirked.

"Yeah, I kn- HEY!"

Momo climbed onto Azula's shoulder and wrapped his tail around her. The firebender gave a soft smile and leaned her head onto Momo. "You're still as fluffy as ever too, Momo."

Everyone except Toph laughed knowing the Azula they know is back.

"I don't get it."

* * *

**Note (2):** So, which poison did you pick? You don't have to tell me, but yes, that's why I've been gone for nearly seven months. I want to first thank all of you readers, new and old for continuing to read Golden Wolf Warrior and enjoying the artworks that come with it. I'm curious as to how many of you have seen the latest drawing I did of Golden Wolf Warrior. The drawing takes place in this chapter. It can be found on my deviantArt page, agent-ayu (dot) deviantart (dot) com.

**Will I stop writing GWW?**  
Yes and no. NO! I will not drop this project. I love writing this version of Avatar: The Last Airbender because it is a very interesting 'What If' I've found it to be and want to finish it. Yes, because the story does have to end at some point.

Also, there are some rather 'interesting' plans in store for GWW. I won't tell you them yet because, one, I like teasing you to keep you interested, and two, because it's not a full go on what's these plans are. What I will say is that it's going to be a collaborative project and will take a while before it's even started. Let's nickname it "Project GWW" for any future reference. Project GWW is currently under discussion and more art works will be posted later.

In other news, GWW has a Tumblr account as well. If you're on Tumblr: GoldenWolfWarrior (dot) tumblr (dot) com. Also if you're interested: agent-ayu (dot) tumblr (dot) com. Just a warning, if you do follow the GWW Tumblr account, it is heavily under construction and the page will be changed quite a lot until I get it the way I want it to look. Sorry for the inconvenience ahead of time.

The next chapter maybe a little short, but I promise that Chapter 18 will be a lengthy one. I still love your reviews, thoughts, comments, questions. Again thank you for sticking around and being very patient with me these past seven months. I can't promise that I'll post a lot when school starts again in September, but I will try my best to post at least once a month until the story is finished. Thank you again.


	18. Chapter 18

Sorry to disappoint all of you for this is not a new chapter.

After much consideration, I have decided to rewrite Golden Wolf Warrior. Now the story won't be starting completely from scratch a good chunk of what you've read will still be in the redux, however, there will be a lot of editing happening in Book 1 of the story.

As I read through what I had written so far, there was a lot more I wanted to have happened in the earlier chapters that I didn't think of until work and school consumed my life. Most of the chapters will be extended heavily and some parts of the story will change due to the extension.

I will not continue writing for **Golden Wolf Warrior** instead the story will be retold under the title **Golden Wolf Warrior Redux**. I think a lot of you will enjoy the redux version a lot more.

It'll be a while before I repost the Prologue since I'm going to start rewriting all the chapters I have posted. This way I won't leave all of you hanging for 6 – 7 months like I have been doing because of work and school.

Thank you all for being very patient with me and hanging in there! I promise to have the Prologue up sometime around February. Also thankfully since I'm at a new school and we're on the semester system, my summer vacation begins early May. So, expect a lot of updates from Golden Wolf Warrior Redux and Wanted.

Thank you again!

- Agent-Ayu


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